People dance and salute the large Israeli flags during a rally against the anti -Semitism of the campus at George Washington University in May 2024 in Washington, DC
Andrew Harnik / Getty images
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Andrew Harnik / Getty images
A executive decree Signed Wednesday by President Trump describes a large federal repression against anti-Semitism in the United States, especially on university campuses, and suggest that foreign students participating in prohibited activities such as the support of terrorist organizations could be expelled.
The order quotes “an unprecedented wave of vile anti -Semitic discrimination, vandalism and violence” and declares that American policy “must” use “all the legal tools available and appropriate to continue, delete or other harassment and anti -Semitic violence.” He also orders the heads of American department and agency to find new means that they could employ to combat anti -Semitism within 60 days.
The order also suggests that certain demonstrations for students could be considered as a violation of the federal law prohibiting individuals from supporting terrorism, and it orders managers to encourage schools to monitor and report such activities by students foreigners so that they can investigate and possibly expel.
Trump’s order refers to the existing immigration law which authorizes the expulsion of a non-citizen who “approves or marries terrorist activity or persuades others to approve or stifle terrorist activity Or support a terrorist organization “. The US government officially Hamas a terrorist organization.
The order has been greeted by students who report an alarming peak in anti -Semitism since October 7, 2023, when Hamas led the attack on Israel which sparked the current war.
Amanda Silberstein, junior of the University of Cornell, says that it was physically attacked and harassed online and in person, and feels in danger on the campus. But now, she says that she feels a certain relief that “universities that have closed their eyes to harassment and assault by Jewish students can no longer ignore their fundamental responsibility to protect all students as well”.
“No other minority group should tolerate constant threats and intimidation without recourse, but Jewish students were treated as the exception,” she said. “For too long, Jewish hatred has been transported under the cover of activism.”
But criticisms immediately denounced this decision as an excessive and unconstitutional excess.
“”The revocation of student visas should not be used to punish and filter disadvantaged ideas by the federal government, “said Sarah McLaughlin, principal researcher at the basis of individual rights and expression.” Students who commit crimes – including vandalism, threats or violence – must face consequences and these consequences may include the loss of a visa. “But McLaughlin said that students had to not Being punished “for protest or expression otherwise protected by the first amendment”.
The American-Islamic Relations Council qualified the decree “”Try to dirty “the diversified group of student demonstrators, who” like students who protested the segregation, the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa (…) deserve the thanks of our country. “”
Many campuses do not have a clearly indicated definition of what crosses the line in anti-Semitism, and many demonstrators have complained that their anti-Israeli manifestations were unjustly confused with anti-Semitism.
But many Jewish students reject this notion, to say what they experienced clearly turned into the field of violence and harassment.
“I think universities should be a place where the first amendment is crowned and where students can have difficult conversations on any problem,” said Noah Rubin, the aged of Pennsylvania University.
However, he said, the extremists have clearly indicated that “they are not at all here for a conversation. Many of them have strict policies, in fact, not To start a conversation at all. This is not a first amendment problem. It is a question of violence, intimidation and harassment. “”
