Jewish Insider: Nearly 100 House members urge administration to do more to address antisemitism

A bipartisan group of nearly 100 House members sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday urging the administration to mount a more concerted effort to counter antisemitism.

“We are asking you to advocate for a comprehensive, whole-of-government strategy, led by your Department, to specifically address the growing problem of domestic antisemitism,” reads the letter, led by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and signed by 88 other lawmakers.

The letter notes that the administration has taken “steps… within existing DHS programs to counter anti-Jewish extremism” and praises the administration’s request for increased Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding, but antisemitic incidents continue to be prevalent and rising. Recent Anti-Defamation League statistics found that 2021 was the worst year for antisemitic incidents in the U.S. since the ADL began recording such data.

“It is clear the American Jewish community is on high alert and for due cause,” the letter argues.

The lawmakers call on the administration to ensure communication between federal, state and local agencies, and provide training and resources to counter antisemitism. It also requests that Mayorkas and representatives from the Departments of Justice, State, Education, Labor and Defense brief the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism about the federal effort to address antisemitism.