The new Trump Administration seems poised to oversee a drastic offensive against “anti-Semitism” across the country. After Trump’s Executive Order to combat anti-Semitism signed on Jan. 30, Reps Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) introduced the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act on Feb. 5 with large bipartisan support from within the House. The same bill had been introduced and passed last year by a vote of 320-91, but failed to come to the floor for a vote in the Senate.
According to Jewish Insider: “The bill codifies the executive order from the first Trump administration that classified anti-Semitism, as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition, as a prohibited form of discrimination in schools and universities.” The ACLU notes that the IHRAs definition of anti-Semitism is “overbroad,” and “would chill the exercise of First Amendment rights” by equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.
Speaking at a House press conference the day he introduced the bill, Representative Lawler said that the executive order must be codified into law to ensure that a future President cannot eliminate it. “We are here today to say that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism or Jew-hatred anymore. Enough with administrators who are too weak-kneed to take on the pro-Hamas radicals who have infested college and university campuses.”
Lawler also said that he had communicated to Trump that before he introduced the legislation and that his administration “obviously is in line with where the administration is on the issue.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer is reportedly now planning to introduce a sister bill in the Senate. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) are planning to lead this effort, and Sen. John Thune (R-SD) has said he plans to bring the bill up for a vote.
At the same time, Trump’s new Attorney General Pam Bondi immediately introduced major anti-Semitism initiatives upon her confirmation for the position. Bondi announced the “Joint Task Force October 7” on Feb. 5, which is slated to focus on “seeking justice for victims of the [Oct. 7, 2023] attack and addressing the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates, both domestically and abroad.” This includes “combatting anti-Semitic acts of terrorism and civil rights violations in the homeland.”
The Task Force will be empowered to take significant actions, and will work in conjunction with the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. George Selim, the Anti-Defamation League’s executive vice president, hailed the announcement, saying “This is in line with many of the policies and positions that ADL has strenuously advocated for post-10/7,” reported Jewish Insider.