CNN Analyst Claims It's 'Hard to Say' Recent Terror Is an Immigration Problem

Analyst dismisses connection between immigration and recent terror attacks despite evidence to the contrary

Mar. 14, 2026 at 10:33am

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A CNN national security analyst, Peter Bergen, claimed it was 'hard to say' whether recent terror attacks in the U.S. had any connection to immigration, despite the suspects' backgrounds in four recent cases demonstrating otherwise. The article argues that if the perpetrators or their families had not been admitted to the U.S., those attacks would not have occurred there.

Why it matters

This story highlights the ongoing debate around the relationship between immigration and terrorism, with the CNN analyst dismissing any connection despite evidence that the perpetrators of recent attacks had immigrant backgrounds. It touches on broader political tensions around immigration policy and national security.

The details

The article cites four recent terror-related incidents and the backgrounds of the suspects involved. In the Old Dominion University shooting, the suspect was a former member of the Virginia Army National Guard who had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS. In the failed bomb attack near New York City, the two suspects were teenagers - one a U.S. citizen of Afghan immigrant parents, the other having traveled to Turkey and pledging allegiance to ISIS. The suspect in a synagogue ramming attack in Michigan was a Lebanese-born naturalized U.S. citizen, while the Austin bar shooting suspect was a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal.

  • The incidents discussed occurred within the last two weeks prior to the article's publication on March 14, 2026.

The players

Peter Bergen

A CNN national security analyst who claimed it was 'hard to say' whether recent terror attacks had any connection to immigration.

Michael Warren

A Dispatch columnist who suggested everyone is using this violence for their own political agenda, but the assailants had an underlying antisemitic motive.

Mohamed Bailor Jalloh

The suspect in the Old Dominion University shooting, a 36-year-old former member of the Virginia Army National Guard who previously pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Emir Balat

An 18-year-old Pennsylvania teenager arrested for the failed bomb attack near New York City's Gracie Mansion, who told investigators he had pledged allegiance to ISIS and had been radicalized through online propaganda.

Ibrahim Kayumi

A 19-year-old Pennsylvania teenager, the U.S.-born son of Afghan immigrants who are naturalized citizens, who was arrested along with Emir Balat for the failed bomb attack and frequently watched ISIS propaganda videos.

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What they’re saying

“As a factual matter, I just looked at the four cases we've been talking about the last two weeks. None of them involved immigrants, and they all involved U.S. citizens.”

— Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst (CNN This Morning)

“So it's going to be hard to say if this is a sort of immigration problem.”

— Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst (CNN This Morning)

“The Internet is what's radicalizing people. You can't stop the Internet. So calls for additional immigration constraints... as a practical matter when it comes to terrorism, it's not going to have any real effect.”

— Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst (CNN This Morning)

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate around the relationship between immigration and terrorism, with the CNN analyst dismissing any connection despite evidence that the perpetrators of recent attacks had immigrant backgrounds. It touches on broader political tensions around immigration policy and national security, and the challenges of addressing radicalization in the digital age.