Monday, March 17, 2025

Jason Smith: Cracking down on anti-semitism


(From Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith)

Like so many Americans, I’ve been alarmed by the rise in antisemitism we’ve seen ever since Hamas’ October 7 terror attack against Israel. That’s especially true when it comes to what’s been going on at so many colleges, where radical pro-Hamas protestors have attacked Jewish students, caused colleges to cancel classes, set up tent cities on campus, and destroyed public property. 

In far too many cases, colleges stood idly by and refused to punish those who are causing Jewish students to live in fear every time they walk to class, go to the cafeteria, or head to the library. Fortunately, thanks to President Donald Trump, these colleges and pro-Hamas students are finally being held accountable.








Shortly after taking office, President Trump signed an executive order that takes unprecedented steps to combat the unacceptable explosion of antisemitism on campus. He called on federal agencies to investigate colleges that turned a blind eye to these hate-filled rallies and refused to take necessary actions to protect Jewish students. In his executive order, President Trump also stated, “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

On March 10, President Donald Trump announced that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents apprehended anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil – and warned that other terrorist sympathizers would meet a similar fate. Khalil, a Palestinian raised in Syria, served as a senior leader for the Columbia University Apartheid Divest student organization, which has called for the “total eradication of Western civilization” and played a key role in the hate-filled rallies on Columbia’s campus that caused multiple injuries, significant property damage, and harassment of Jewish students. I’m glad that the Trump administration is holding accountable individuals who sympathize with terror groups and pose a threat to our national security.

Recently, the Trump administration announced that it will rescind more than $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University due to the school’s failure to address antisemitism on campus. In addition, his administration is conducting a wide-ranging review of more than $5 billion in federal grant funding that goes to Columbia. But that’s not all: The Department of Education put 60 universities on notice that there will be significant consequences if they continue to allow discrimination and harassment against Jewish students to run rampant on their campuses, which would directly violate the Civil Rights Act.








As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over the tax code, I’ve been leading Congress’s investigation into the rise in antisemitism on the campuses of tax-exempt universities. The significant benefits these universities receive from the American taxpayer are not a blank check. By failing to ensure a safe learning environment – including protecting Jewish students from harassment and violence – they are putting their taxpayer benefits and federal grants at risk.

It is my hope that under President Trump, Jewish students will finally be able to step foot on campus without having to fear for their safety. I’m incredibly grateful that he’s also making it clear that colleges will be held accountable if they fail to protect their students. In Washington, I will continue working with him to accomplish our shared goal of rooting out the antisemitism that’s plaguing our great nation.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

More asinine statements and lies from the inept one. My hope is that Palestinians in the US and world get equal treatment and not more magat inspired division and hatred. Hamas needs exterminated for what they did. Isreal and netenyaho need to be held accountable for crimes against humanity for the destruction of Gaza and attempted extermination of the Palestinian people. Additionally, the trump Gaza video is one of the most disturbing examples of a narcissist tyrant with a raging case of meglomainia. When are you people going to take a stand against this egregiously flawed and manically deranged orange peel?

Anonymous said...

5:43PM - First Spell Israel - CORRECT!

STOP - Blaming Israel - Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq - have been trying to Exterminate the Jewish People in Israel for Decades - trying to do what Hitler and the Germans could not - Hamas and Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda - have been Killing, Bombing, and Torturing Innocent - Jewish - Children, Women, and Men for Decades - SO DON'T YOU DARE - Say that the Jewish People should Not - Defend and Protect themselves from Extermination - - by these CRAZY ARAB ISLAMIC GROUPS - - All these Terrorist Groups should be Wiped Off the Planet - - What is Disturbing is that You and Anyone would side with Terrorist Groups and Try to Defend their Murderous Actions - - Do you Remember 9/11 - that was Arab - Financed and Sponsored - - TRY TO THINK FOR ONCE!