Concerns about antisemitism on US college campuses have prompted the formation of a multi-agency task force under the Trump administration. Students and professors have expressed support for the initiative, citing a persistent climate of fear within the Jewish community.
High school student Gregory Lyakhov, speaking on Fox News, voiced his anxieties about commencing college in an environment where Jewish students face harassment and exclusion. He criticized the previous administration for what he perceived as inaction on the issue.
University of Pennsylvania student Noah Rubin echoed Lyakhov's concerns, recounting instances of intimidation and harassment against Jewish students. He welcomed the executive order establishing the task force as a crucial first step towards accountability.
The executive order mandates that federal agencies identify legal tools to combat antisemitism and allows for the deportation of activists involved in anti-Jewish activities. The Justice Department has subsequently announced the formation of a task force involving multiple agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Education.
Columbia Business School professor Ran Kivetz endorsed the probe as essential, observing a shift in antisemitic behavior from overt acts to more subtle forms. The Education Department is also investigating five universities for alleged antisemitism: Columbia University, Northwestern University, Portland State University, UC Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities. Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Craig Trainor, criticized the prior administration's response to campus antisemitism as inadequate.
