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U S President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at addressing rising antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
The order, which promises “immediate action” by the Justice Department, focuses on prosecuting “terroristic threats, arson, vandalism, and violence against American Jews.”
It also calls for increased federal resources to combat antisemitism, which the administration claims has surged on US campuses and streets since the attack.
“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,” Trump stated in the fact sheet accompanying the order.
He also pledged to cancel student visas for anyone supporting Hamas, declaring, “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathisers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
Legal scholars and civil rights groups quickly criticised the executive order, arguing that it infringes upon constitutional protections of free speech.
“The First Amendment protects everyone in the United States, including foreign citizens studying at American universities,” said Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
“Deporting non-citizens on the basis of their political speech would be unconstitutional.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a prominent Muslim advocacy group, also expressed concern, stating it would consider legal action if Trump moved forward with implementing the order.
The measure comes after several months of pro-Palestinian protests sparked by the Hamas attacks and subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza.
These protests, which have taken place on US college campuses, have also been accompanied by a rise in hate crimes targeting Jews, Muslims, Arabs, and other Middle Eastern groups.
In addition to calling for the deportation of non-citizen protestors, the executive order demands that federal agencies submit recommendations to the White House within 60 days on ways to address antisemitism through criminal and civil actions.
It also mandates an analysis of court cases related to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, which could lead to the removal of “alien students and staff.”
However, many pro-Palestinian protestors deny supporting Hamas or engaging in antisemitic behavior, stating that their demonstrations are aimed at opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza, where more than 47,000 people have reportedly been killed.
Executive director of the Arab American Institute, Maya Berry, expressed concern over the potential consequences of the order.
“We are deeply troubled by the apparent conflation of criticism of Israel with alleged antisemitism,” she said.
“This order would have a chilling effect on free speech across the US”
Boluwatife Enome
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