Trump administration signals crackdown on anti-Israel campus protests

As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term, his administration is doubling down on promises to tackle antisemitism on college campuses, with proposals to curb pro-Palestinian protests that many Jewish groups have linked to rising hostility against Jewish students.

In recent years, campus tensions have escalated amid heated debates over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Incidents of antisemitism tied to pro-Palestinian demonstrations surged following Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack on Israel, in which 1,200 people were murdered, and over 250 hostages were taken into Gaza. The Biden administration responded with a flurry of Title VI civil rights investigations at colleges and schools, aimed at combating both antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Yet many Jewish parents and activists are frustrated with the pace of these investigations. In Montgomery County, Maryland, the Department of Education’s civil rights office launched a probe into reports of antisemitic bullying during pro-Palestinian protests nearly a year ago. Parents say they have seen little progress. “The process is completely opaque,” said Margery Smelkinson of the Maryland Jewish Alliance. “It’s hard not to conclude that nothing is actually being done.”

Trump’s education agenda could mark a dramatic shift. The president-elect has pledged to overhaul the Department of Education (DOE) or even shut it down, moving Title VI enforcement to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Trump has also proposed targeting non-citizen pro-Palestinian protesters for deportation and pressuring universities to crack down on what he calls “anti-Israel Marxist maniacs.”

Pam Bondi, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, is expected to take a hardline stance on campus antisemitism, and education secretary nominee Linda McMahon has expressed support for stricter campus oversight. Under Trump’s first administration, the DOE expanded Title VI protections for Jewish students, including a 2019 executive order incorporating the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into federal policy.

Jewish advocacy groups have largely welcomed the renewed focus. Kenneth Marcus, founder of the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, said Trump’s policies could strengthen enforcement. “No president during our lifetimes has done more to address campus antisemitism from a policy perspective than President Trump did,” Marcus said.

Still, critics warn that Trump’s education agenda risks stifling academic freedom. Progressive groups argue that the IHRA definition could be used to suppress legitimate criticism of Israel. A Title VI resolution at Occidental College in Los Angeles, for example, included language incorporating Zionist identity into anti-harassment policies, sparking debate about free speech.

Despite concerns, Jewish leaders stress that Title VI remains an essential tool for addressing antisemitism. Laura Shaw Frank of the American Jewish Committee noted, “Investigations will continue under the incoming Trump administration, and we urge reporting of any and all incidents of antisemitism.”

With campus protests declining this semester, many credit increased federal scrutiny. But as unresolved Title VI cases pile up, activists on both sides of the debate are bracing for how the Trump administration will navigate this contentious issue.

Stay informed on developments in the fight against antisemitism by sharing this story or subscribing to our newsletter.