'Bringing the full arsenal': Trump admin. to launch antisemitism campaign in 15 cities - interview
Task force chairman Leo Terrell said federal officials would expose local failures, inform Jewish communities of their rights and consider legal action.
President Donald Trump's administration is set to embark on a nationwide campaign targeting antisemitism, with senior Justice Department officials visiting 15 cities that have reportedly failed to protect their Jewish communities effectively. Leo Terrell, chairman of the Justice Department's Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, revealed that the initiative, slated to commence in early September and run for 60 to 90 days, aims to assist victims who have not received adequate help from local governments.
Terrell's team will bring a comprehensive set of resources, including the Department of Labor, FBI, and law enforcement agencies to these communities.
The campaign marks a shift from focusing on college campuses to targeting local communities, where Jewish Americans have reported an increase in threats and hate crimes following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Terrell emphasized that the federal government will bring an interagency team into affected areas, rather than simply meeting with local officials.
The dual objectives of the campaign are to educate Jewish communities about their legal rights and expose the perceived failures of local governments in addressing hate crimes, particularly in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Tacoma, and smaller Midwest cities.
Terrell criticized local district attorneys, mayors, and teachers' unions for allegedly not prosecuting hate crimes and contributing to anti-Jewish indoctrination in K-12 schools. He argued that despite local officials' broad discretion, Washington still possesses tools to address the situation. If local governments fail to take action, the administration could pursue a pattern-and-practice lawsuit.
The campaign is not solely aimed at protecting Jewish Americans but also about upholding broader American values, according to Terrell. He stressed that fighting antisemitism is an American issue and that the federal government will use various media platforms, including radio, podcasts, and social media, to counter antisemitic content and empower the public with information about their rights.
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