A brutal antisemitic attack by an undocumented immigrant in Colorado has ignited outrage—not just for the violence itself, but for what critics call a coordinated downplay by major broadcast networks.
At a Glance
- Major networks allegedly underreported an antisemitic bombing attempt at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder.
- The suspect, Egyptian national Mohamed Soliman, is accused of using Molotov cocktails and violating U.S. immigration laws.
- ABC, CBS, and NBC reportedly omitted references to his illegal status or hate-crime motive.
- The incident comes amid rising antisemitic violence and scrutiny of sanctuary city policies.
- Media watchdogs claim systemic bias in mainstream outlets’ treatment of crimes by undocumented immigrants.
Broadcast bias allegations
In a Fox News editorial, media analyst Tim Graham accused broadcast giants—ABC, CBS, and NBC—of sanitizing coverage of the May 25 Boulder attack, allegedly omitting key facts about the assailant’s immigration status and antisemitic motive. The suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is an Egyptian citizen who entered the U.S. legally in 2022 but overstayed his visa. He now faces federal charges for deploying incendiary devices at a pro-Israel rally.
Despite the gravity of the attack, Graham reports that primetime broadcasts either avoided the story or delivered brief segments stripped of ideological context. This, he argues, reflects an editorial strategy that prioritizes political optics over transparent reporting.
Watch a report: US leaders condemn attack on Colorado rally for Israeli hostages.
Political implications and rise in hate crimes
The Boulder firebombing came as the U.S. confronts a steep rise in antisemitic incidents. According to FBI data, religion-based hate crimes rose sharply in 2023 and remained elevated through 2024, with Jewish Americans disproportionately targeted. Critics of sanctuary city policies argue these legal frameworks embolden undocumented criminals by limiting local-federal cooperation.
This argument gained traction after Boulder—designated as a sanctuary city in 2017—was thrust into the spotlight. Activists and conservative lawmakers are now pushing for immigration enforcement reforms, arguing that political correctness in media and policy is costing lives.
Media responsibility and public trust
Supporters of sanctuary cities argue that overemphasizing immigration status risks inflaming xenophobia, especially when high-profile incidents are weaponized in national debates. But opponents counter that suppressing such details does not protect immigrants—it distorts public discourse.
Outlets like Fox News assert that a pattern of selective coverage amounts to narrative manipulation. In contrast, mainstream newsrooms maintain they prioritize facts without framing stories in ways that could incite ethnic backlash.
The Boulder case challenges this balance. As antisemitic hate crimes escalate and immigration enforcement remains politically fraught, what news outlets choose to air—or omit—may be as consequential as the crimes themselves.
