WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter today with 26 of his Senate GOP colleagues to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging them to restore order to campuses that have been effectively shut down by anti-Semitic mobs that are targeting Jewish students. The senators requested Attorney General Garland and Secretary Cardona provide an update on efforts to protect Jewish students by Wednesday, April 24:

They wrote: “These pro-Hamas rioters have effectively shut down college campuses and have literally chased Jewish students away from our schools.”

“The situation has so devolved that a prominent Jewish rabbi at Columbia University urged Jewish students to flee campus and stay away for their own safety.”

“You need to take action to restore order and protect Jewish students on our college campuses.”

“President Biden issued a statement on Sunday, purporting to condemn the outbreak of anti-Semitism. If that statement was serious, it must be accompanied by immediate action from your departments.”

The full text of this letter is here and below. The letter was led by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), and it was also signed by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), James Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

April 23, 2024

The Honorable Merrick Garland              

Attorney General

U.S. Department of Justice

950 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, D.C. 20530

The Honorable Miguel Cardona              

Secretary of Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Ave SW

Washington, D.C. 20202

Dear Attorney General Garland and Secretary Cardona,

We write regarding the outbreak of anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist mobs on college campuses. These pro-Hamas rioters have effectively shut down college campuses and have literally chased Jewish students away from our schools. The Department of Education and federal law enforcement must act immediately to restore order, prosecute the mobs who have perpetuated violence and threats against Jewish students, revoke the visas of all foreign nationals (such as exchange students) who have taken part in promoting terrorism, and hold accountable school administrators who have stood by instead of protecting their students.

Anti-Israel protestors, spurred on by prominent leftists, have gathered on college campuses in recent days, chanting anti-Semitic slogans and directly threatening Jewish students. The situation has so devolved that a prominent Jewish rabbi at Columbia University urged Jewish students to flee campus and stay away for their own safety. Columbia University has been one of the most public examples, but violence and threats against Jewish students have also been committed at other so-called “elite” universities in recent days. For example, at Yale University, a Jewish student journalist was reportedly attacked over the weekend by a pro-Hamas mob while attempting to film a protest.

You need to take action to restore order and protect Jewish students on our college campuses. President Biden issued a statement on Sunday, purporting to condemn the outbreak of anti-Semitism. If that statement was serious, it must be accompanied by immediate action from your departments.

Rioting violates federal law. Violence or attempted violence against anyone because of their Jewish heritage violates federal law. School administrators’ failure to protect Jewish students from discrimination or harassment violates federal law and is grounds for those schools losing access to federal funds. Espousing support for terrorists such as Hamas violates federal immigration law and is grounds for deportation. Please provide our offices with an update on your efforts to enforce these and related laws on college campuses as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 5:00PM on Wednesday, April 24.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

/s/