US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to tackle antisemitism, pledging to deport non-citizens who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. The directive calls on the Department of Justice to prosecute offenses targeting Jewish communities and urges federal agencies to review legal options against individuals involved in recent campus demonstrations.
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A fact sheet accompanying the order cites what it describes as a surge in antisemitism following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza. “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 declared in the fact sheet. He also announced plans to revoke student visas of those he labeled “Hamas sympathizers” at American universities.
Civil rights advocates argue that the policy could infringe on constitutional free speech protections. Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, warned that “deporting non-citizens on the basis of their political speech would be unconstitutional.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations has signaled it may challenge the order in court.