ABC, CBS, and NBC often shy away from reporting on violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants, viewing such topics as too politically charged. They tend to frame these incidents as isolated local stories that don’t demand national coverage.
On Sunday, June 1st, an illegal immigrant from Egypt, identified as Mohamed Soliman, allegedly attempted to attack a Jewish protester in Boulder, Colorado. Some early reports concerning this event seemed purposefully vague.
For instance, NBC News mentioned there had been significant social media activity regarding multiple protesters injured at a march in Boulder, calling the situation ambiguous.
Criticism has mounted against mainstream media for their handling of the reports linked to Soliman’s family, which some deemed “disgraceful.” The initial police response to the attack happened around 3:30 PM. CBS’s Weekend News briefly addressed the Boulder incident but quickly shifted focus to deny civilian shootings in Gaza, while PBS omitted any mention of Boulder altogether.
On Monday morning, news continued to be muddled, describing the attacker as merely an “Egyptian citizen” and the victims as “peaceful crowds.” As legal proceedings commenced, further details emerged, indicating Soliman had planned the attack for a year and expressed a desire to kill “all Zionist people.” He even indicated a willingness to repeat such actions.
CBS’s White House correspondent raised concerns that the incident was being leveraged by Trump and his aides to critique the Biden administration’s immigration policies, suggesting that Soliman’s presence in the U.S. was a consequence of lenient policies. Other sources afterward implied that it was challenging to ascertain how he had initially entered the country.
Additionally, PBS reported on Monday that some were using the situation for political gain. Trump commented on social media, highlighting the event as a rationale for stricter border control.
By Wednesday night, reporting had begun to focus on Soliman’s family situation, highlighting that he was an illegal immigrant, as the judicial process continued. While the media typically frames judges as part of the “resistance,” this narrative appeared underreported by ABC, CBS, or PBS.
At least NBC provided comprehensive coverage. A reporter shared a video from a channel linked to Prohama, which had been filmed before the attack, where Soliman expressed extreme views.
The incident also raised questions about Boulder being a “Sanctuary City,” intended to protect illegal immigrants from federal law enforcement. Some media figures noted that this aspect was largely overlooked in discussions by liberal networks.
Just a week before this attack, Colorado had ramped up protective measures for illegal immigrants under new laws signed by Governor Jared Polis, which also included stipulations for criminal deportation.
Unfortunately, this attack is part of a disturbing trend in rising anti-Semitic violence; previous incidents over the weeks included torches lit in Pennsylvania in support of the Palestinian cause and shootings near a prominent Jewish museum. Each time, coverage seems to dwindle after short bursts of attention.
