Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman is in custody, facing federal hate crime felonies along with 16 counts of attempted murder for initiating an attack on a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, CO. The 45-year-old allegedly used a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails in the assault against rally participants, injuring a dozen people. It was a shocking act that has many Americans wondering what Soliman is doing here and how he got here in the first place – both good questions.
After being apprehended, Soliman told authorities he had spent a year planning the act of violence and would do it all again. The Trump administration was able to piece together the alleged terrorist's immigration record quickly. Soliman entered the United States on Aug. 27, 2022, on a tourist visa, but shortly thereafter, he applied for asylum. His visa expired in February 2023, but like so many who depend on American largesse, the Egyptian immigrant stayed in the United States. Then, in March 2023, he was granted work authorization, but it expired in March of this year.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Soliman was allowed into the country during the Biden administration and was “foolishly given a tourism visa and was illegally allowed to stay.” Although he initially landed in California, he, his wife, and five children took up residence in Colorado Springs, CO.
Outraged over the violence committed against innocent Jewish citizens, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social and posted: “He came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly. He must go out under ‘TRUMP’ Policy.” He also asserted, “This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport illegal, anti-American radicals from our Homeland.”
Soliman – The Antisemitic Sleeper
Since Trump’s return to the White House, illegal immigration has been a front-burner issue with ICE authorities under the direction of no-nonsense Tom Homan, who has used his power to round up and deport as many illegals as possible. Homan and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been laser-focused on illegals who have previously committed crimes. As of this writing, Soliman did not have a criminal record and only minor dustups with law enforcement over traffic tickets. Sources also maintain that the Egyptian may have had some domestic issues because authorities claim a juvenile contacted them, and two calls to 911 made from his home resulted in hang-ups.
This troubling incident is the third violent antisemitic assault on US soil since April. The first was the burning of the Pennsylvania governor's mansion, where Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family reside. Then, on May 21, two young Israeli Embassy staff members were gunned down in cold blood outside a Jewish art museum in the District of Columbia. This flurry of antisemitic violence led Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon to insist that a line has been crossed regarding attacks on Jews, saying, “It's not peaceful demonstrations, it’s not political demonstrations. This is terrorism within the streets of the United States.” In the case of Israeli Embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were murdered in DC, the suspect in the case, Elias Rodriquez, is – by all accounts – a US citizen. As well, the arson committed at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion was allegedly committed by Cody Allen Balmer, a longtime resident of Harrisburg, PA. Both men involved in these crimes expressed hatred for those who are Jewish.
Still, whether perpetrated by homegrown terrorists or not, antisemitism appears to be on the upswing in the United States, and this last heinous attack by Soliman would not have happened had immigration laws been enforced. The violence committed in Colorado has led the Department of Homeland Security to reinstitute its ISIS tip line and is asking Americans to report any suspicious activity. Based on these recent events, it’s entirely possible – perhaps even likely – that the Department of Homeland Security’s phone will be ringing off the hook.
