Trump team emphasizes immigration in Boulder response

President Trump and his administration are leaning into immigration more than antisemitism in the wake of an attack in Boulder, Colo., that targeted a pro-Israel gathering.

The administration has made it its mission to usher in tough immigration policies, and it has also gone after universities for antisemitism over campus protests related to the Gaza war. 

The attack on the group demonstrating in Boulder for the release of hostages held by Hamas fits into several arguments the administration is making about what needs to change in the country, particularly since the suspect behind the attack was living in the U.S. on an expired visa.

So far, the response from the administration has been much more focused on highlighting that immigration status.

Trump’s response to the attack a day later began by ripping his predecessor President Biden for what he deems a “ridiculous open border policy.” 

The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, was “revamping” the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tip line to “report suspicious criminal activity by illegal aliens including terrorist activity, gang related crimes, and suspected sex trafficking” in its response to the event in Boulder.

“For four years, the Biden Administration allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens—including terrorists, gang members, and other violent criminals—to pour into our country. Yesterday’s terrorist attack by a suspect illegally in our country, underscores the importance of getting these illegal aliens out of our country,” assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. 

DHS’ response to the attack on Sunday involved immediately highlighting that the suspect had been in the U.S. illegally.

Similarly, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned about deporting criminals in response to the attack.

“In light of yesterday’s horrific attack, all terrorists, their family members, and terrorist sympathizers here on a visa should know that under the Trump Administration we will find you, revoke your visa, and deport you,” he said on X.

The suspect, Mohamed Soliman, has been charged with a federal hate crime after he allegedly yelled “Free Palestine” as he was attacking the group, injuring multiple people with Molotov cocktails. 

Soliman had entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in August 2022. That visa expired in early 2023 but Soliman stayed in the country since and he had applied for asylum during that time. DHS said he had also applied for a work permit once the tourist visa was up, but that had also expired.

Soliman used a “makeshift flamethrower” and incendiary devices Sunday to attack people demonstrating for the release of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. The victims of the attack range in age from 52 to 88, The Associated Press reported.

Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, one of the administration’s chief immigration hawks, quickly called out Soliman’s immigration status late Sunday just after the attack, calling him “an illegal alien.”

“He was granted a tourist visa by the Biden Administration and then he illegally overstayed that visa. In response, the Biden Administration gave him a work permit. Suicidal migration must be fully reversed,” Miller said.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt, meanwhile, did highlight that Jewish Americans should “rest assure” that “this president has your back.” 

She also directed her response towards the work of the administration to crack down on border crossings and also blamed the Biden.

“I’d also like to point out that this administration has done more than any administration to curb this violence and to curb illegal immigration,” she said. “We know that this individual, this terrorist, was allowed into this country by the previous administration… was given a tourism visa and then was illegallyl allowed to stay.”

The incident in Boulder comes just a week after another antisemitic attack in Washington, D.C.

A man who shouted “free, free Palestine” while being detained fatally shot two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, at a reception at the Capital Jewish Museum.

Following that attack in Washington, attorney general Pam Bondi said the threat level has been increased for all Americans, telling people that “whether you are Jewish or not, be vigilant.”

Some Democrats on Monday said the administration wasn’t doing enough to call out antisemitism.

“It was an obviously antisemitic attack and the latest in a series of antisemitic attacks. We had that attack on that couple exiting the Jewish community center in Washington a couple of weeks ago… and the Jewish community is very on edge. And we want the federal government to do more,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said on CNN. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, called out the dangers of unchecked antisemitism but opted not to address the administration’s response.

“Because of their Jewish identity, they were targeted by hate. When antisemitism is allowed to fester in more corners of society, it historically leads to more terrorism and violence,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.