On Tuesday, American blogger and analyst Ahmed Fuuad Alhatib shared concerns in Cuomo that he expects Mohamed Sabri Soliman’s situation will prompt a “hurried” and “reactive” response regarding the deportation of families linked to a terrorist act in Colorado.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported on Sunday that Soliman, a 45-year-old foreign national, was arrested in connection with a terrorist incident in Boulder, Colorado.
“First, I want to express my sympathy for the victims and hope for their speedy recovery. I am also deeply angered by this horrific act committed by this individual,” Alhatib said.
“This certainly seems like a case of acting too quickly, maybe as way to show we’re tackling these radical elements in our midst,” he continued. “I firmly believe that the U.S. has the legal right to decide who stays and who leaves, particularly when it comes to non-citizens.”
Reports indicate that six individuals were hospitalized after Soliman allegedly attacked them using a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails during an event advocating for the release of hostages connected to the October 7, 2023 assault by Hamas. Witnesses noted that the assailants shouted “free Palestine” during the incident.
By Sunday evening, FBI officials had apprehended Soliman, with a DHS spokesperson confirming to a news outlet that he was in the U.S. illegally. It was revealed that Soliman entered the country on a B2 visa during the Biden administration in August 2022. He applied for asylum shortly after, but his visa expired by February 2023.
Alhatib recounted his own journey from Gaza to the U.S. on an F-1 student visa, a path that ultimately led him to seek and receive political asylum.
“What I wonder is whether they are rushing to expel this family, potentially showing a lack of understanding for what they’re going through. Their lives will be completely disrupted,” he noted.
He added, “They weren’t in Egypt. Kuwait doesn’t seem inclined to help them return. They may end up back in Egypt, which is likely their point of origin. But even there, they might not have established roots or much family left.”
A senior DHS source mentioned to a news outlet on Tuesday that Soliman’s family had canceled their visa and was now in federal custody. A national correspondent pointed out on social media that the family was being swiftly processed for removal, potentially allowing for immediate deportation without a court appearance.
Alhatib pondered, “One has to ask if this rush implies missing the chance to gather crucial intelligence and understand the broader context of this man’s life and community, and what might have gone wrong.”
The incident in Colorado occurred less than two weeks after two Israeli embassy workers were shot dead near the Washington, D.C. Jewish Museum.
