The U.S. Justice Department has formed a multi-agency task force to combat antisemitism in schools and universities. The Education Department is also investigating five universities—Columbia, Northwestern, Portland State, UC Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota—over alleged antisemitic harassment.
The move follows an executive order from former President Donald Trump, warning that “resident aliens” joining pro-jihadist protests would face deportation. He also pledged to revoke student visas for those he called “Hamas sympathizers,” though pro-Palestinian groups deny supporting extremism.
Under the Biden administration, universities settled antisemitism and Islamophobia cases through resolution agreements, which the Trump administration has criticized as weak. The Education Department has not commented on whether similar investigations into anti-Muslim bias are planned. Separately, the Health Department has launched compliance reviews of four unnamed medical schools over alleged antisemitism during 2024 commencements.
Critics warn the task force could suppress free speech. Edward Ahmed Mitchell of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said such actions would violate the U.S. Constitution. Rights groups have reported a rise in hate against Jews, Muslims, and Arabs since Israel’s military response to Hamas’ Oct. 2023 attack.
Universities face legal battles over protests. The ACLU sued the University of Michigan, while students sued Columbia University over bans related to pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The Justice Department’s task force will coordinate efforts through its civil rights division, and CAIR plans to monitor its actions for potential legal challenges.
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