Fact Check: Alleged D.C. Pipe Bomber Brian Cole Jr. Did NOT File Lawsuit Against Trump's DHS Regarding Illegal Immigration

Claims that Brian Cole Jr., accused of placing pipe bombs near the Republican and Democratic headquarters in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, had sued the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security over illegal immigration are false.

The confusion arose from a December 4, 2025 article by the Daily Wire, which incorrectly linked legal actions taken by Brian Cole Sr., Cole Jr.'s father, to his son. The article suggested that Cole Jr., who allegedly planted the bombs, was involved in lawsuits regarding immigration policy. In reality, the cases in question were filed by Cole Sr. and concerned procedural matters within DHS, not immigration enforcement.

The legal disputes involved three bond companies, including Statewide Bonding, Inc., which challenged DHS over its handling of breached bonds and the due process provided. These cases were filed in 2018 and decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals in November 2020, ruling in favor of DHS. No part of these cases addressed illegal immigration policies.

The Daily Wire article also inaccurately claimed that Cole Jr. managed the family bail bonds business. Corporate records confirm that Brian Cole Sr. runs the business, not his son. Additionally, the article conflated a November 2021 press conference in Tennessee with immigration issues. Cole Sr., along with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, spoke about alleged discrimination by a local prosecutor, unrelated to immigration and occurring ten months after the pipe bombs were discovered.

Despite later corrections, the initial Daily Wire article continues to be cited on social media, falsely linking Cole Jr. to anti-ICE activism and lawsuits against DHS. These reports misrepresent both the timing and the nature of the legal actions, as well as the identity of the person involved.

Author: Natalie Monroe