In a sweeping move to combat rising antisemitism, President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Wednesday directing all federal agencies to take decisive action, including identifying legal avenues to punish and deport individuals engaging in anti-Jewish activities—particularly foreign students on visas.

The executive order, obtained exclusively by The New York Post, mandates that department and agency leaders submit recommendations within 60 days outlining the tools available to crack down on antisemitic activity. The Department of Justice will also intensify its investigations into pro-Hamas graffiti, harassment, and intimidation—especially on college campuses, where tensions have flared since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

The order calls for the removal of resident aliens, including foreign students, who have violated U.S. laws during anti-Israel demonstrations. This crackdown follows months of escalating protests and alleged instances of antisemitic rhetoric at universities, some of which have received billions in federal funding.

A recent House Republican report slammed institutions like Columbia University, where large-scale protests included anti-Jewish remarks and hostility toward pro-Israel students. The report urged the federal government to condition financial aid to colleges on their ability to curb antisemitism effectively.

Trump’s latest move follows earlier remarks as a candidate, in which he called for the expulsion of foreign students supporting Hamas. Last week, he signed another executive order hinting at broader measures to prevent non-citizens from supporting designated terrorist organizations within U.S. borders.

The House GOP report also accused the Biden administration of obstructing efforts to determine how many foreign nationals on visas have been involved in these protests. The State Department and Department of Homeland Security allegedly refused to release key records on the matter, fueling Republican claims that the administration has been slow to address antisemitic threats.

The legal foundation for Trump’s order builds on past Supreme Court rulings that grant the federal government broad authority over immigration enforcement. The landmark 1972 Kleindienst v. Mandel decision upheld the government’s ability to deny visas to foreign nationals based on ideological grounds, a precedent that may play a role in enforcing Trump’s directive.

College presidents came under fire in December 2023 when, under congressional questioning, they struggled to clarify whether calls for the genocide of Jews constituted punishable speech. Their responses, citing First Amendment protections, sparked widespread backlash and fueled Republican calls for stricter action – and the resignation of two of them.

While hate speech is generally protected in the U.S., federal law prohibits institutions receiving taxpayer funding from allowing discrimination. Trump’s administration appears poised to use this legal avenue to pressure universities into enforcing stricter policies against antisemitism—or risk losing federal funds.

Protests linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have grown increasingly volatile, with some activists openly expressing support for Hamas. In Washington, D.C., demonstrators carried banners endorsing Hamas while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress last summer.

In one of the most striking incidents, Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, a 26-year-old activist from Richmond, Virginia, was arrested for allegedly spray-painting “HAMAS IS COMIN” on a monument near the Capitol.

With Trump poised to take this hardline stance, the battle over free speech, antisemitism, and the consequences for foreign activists on U.S. soil is set to intensify. Whether universities and federal agencies comply—or fight back—remains to be seen.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)