# Five Deadly Attacks This Term–But Foreign-Born Terrorism Risk Remains Low 

Five foreign-born terrorist attacks have killed eight people during the second Trump administration — the highest toll since Trump’s first term. Yet since 9/11, native-born Americans have committed 6.3 murders for every one by a foreign-born terrorist.

March 16, 2026 • News Releases 

Five foreign-born terrorist attacks have killed eight people during the second Trump administration — the highest toll since Trump’s first term. Yet since 9/11, native-born Americans have committed 6.3 murders for every one by a foreign-born terrorist.

![newsletter_3-1626-img-chart](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/pubs_2x/public/2026-03/newsletter_3-1626-img-chart.jpg?itok=_NBB309T) 

[Alex Nowrasteh](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2A2F%2A2Fwww.cato.org%2A2Fpeople%2A2Falex-nowrasteh/1/0100019cf6f15f57-d022021a-fb5b-4145-bb2c-c55d6a9ba93b-000000/ZE7cJl4vUDK33lEDq4XWk2pkI2k=469___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOjZkZjlkZDBlZmQ3MGM3YTllMzg0NjlmYjk3Yzk3NTdjOjc6YTZjMTpkNzBmZmFlMGU3OGM2MmVhYTUzZTY0YmQxZjBkMWQ5MzM0MGMxZDNkYjBmMDhjMmFhNzc2YmU5YWNkYmVhZmE4Omg6VDpO), Cato’s Senior Vice President for Policy, examines the full historical record in an [updated analysis](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2A2F%2A2Fwww.cato.org%2A2Fblog%2A2Fforeign-born-terrorism-still-small-threat-trumps-second-term/1/0100019cf6f15f57-d022021a-fb5b-4145-bb2c-c55d6a9ba93b-000000/VH24FTsNGmkFP1lA-1y9hHI1yfs=469___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOjZkZjlkZDBlZmQ3MGM3YTllMzg0NjlmYjk3Yzk3NTdjOjc6ZDM1YjoyYjkwOWZkYzk5MWI0ZjVmMWYxZTkxNDhiMTUzNDIxNGEyNDQ2YjQ0YjE3MDc3OGE5MjgzODE0Y2ZhM2MxYTFlOmg6VDpO). His findings: the annual odds of dying in a foreign-born terrorist attack today are roughly one in 85 million — a tiny risk even at its current elevated level.

Nowrasteh is available for interviews. Please contact Madison: [mmiller@​cato.​org](mailto:mmiller@cato.org).

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