Antisemitism is not new. For centuries it has followed a predictable and deadly pattern: it begins with words and stereotypes, escalates into institutional exclusion and violence, and, when left unchecked, results in mass murder. From the pogroms of Eastern Europe to the Holocaust, history shows that antisemitism does not remain contained — it spreads and consumes societies that tolerate it.
Today, America is witnessing a disturbing parallel. According to the Anti-Defamation League’s 2025 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, the United States recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in 2025 — the third-highest year on record. Physical assaults reached a record high of 203. The FBI’s 2023 hate crime data showed anti-Jewish incidents comprised nearly 70% of all religion-based hate crimes, despite Jews making up only about 2% of the population.
The root causes are clear and documented. Major funding for campus protests and anti-Israel activism that frequently crosses into antisemitism has been traced to organizations such as the Westchester People’s Action Coalition (WESPAC), the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Open Society Foundations, and Tides Foundation. These groups have provided millions to entities like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM). Many activists involved are U.S. citizens, but some are not — and foreign funding streams have fueled activities that have made Jewish students feel unsafe on their own campuses.
The solution must be firm, constitutional, and unapologetic. America already has the legal tools — we simply need the will to use them fully:
- Enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act rigorously against universities that fail to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination. Congress should demand annual reporting from the Department of Education and withhold federal funding from institutions that repeatedly violate this law.
- Mandate complete transparency of foreign funding to universities and nonprofits under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, with severe financial penalties and loss of tax-exempt status for nondisclosure. Congress must close loopholes that allow foreign governments and entities to influence American education.
- Aggressively deport non-citizens who engage in antisemitic violence, incitement, or material support for designated terrorist organizations. Existing immigration law already provides clear authority — it simply needs consistent enforcement.
- Prosecute clear cases of incitement to violence and material support for terrorism under federal statutes such as 18 U.S.C. § 2339A and § 2339B. The Department of Justice must treat antisemitic threats with the same seriousness as other forms of domestic terrorism.
- Strengthen oversight of tax-exempt organizations that fund activities threatening public safety and civil rights. Congress should direct the IRS to revoke tax-exempt status from groups that repeatedly cross the line from protected speech into unlawful conduct.
These measures do not infringe on protected speech. They target conduct, intimidation, foreign interference, and the misuse of taxpayer benefits — actions that every American, regardless of faith, has a right to be protected from.
Antisemitism is not a “Jewish issue.” When one group is dehumanized, the foundation of liberty for all is weakened. History has taught us that societies that fail to confront antisemitism early pay a terrible price later.
The time for half-measures is over. Congress must act decisively to strengthen enforcement, increase transparency, and ensure that no one — citizen or non-citizen — is allowed to import or incite hatred on American soil. The safety and security of every American depend on it.
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Stan Caplan, a Democrat, is running for Congress in the 51st District now represented by Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego).