On Wednesday, Congressman Mike Lawler, alongside Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, visited Columbia University to confront and speak out against the rising tide of antisemitism on the campus. During a press conference with House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chair Virginia Foxx, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, and Congressman Anthony D’Esposito, Lawler expressed his distress over the antisemitic behavior exhibited by some students towards their Jewish peers.
Lawler highlighted the severity of the situation by comparing it to hate teachings in other parts of the world. “Hate is taught,” he remarked, “It is taught in the schools of Gaza, and unfortunately, it is being taught here in the United States. Enough is enough. We have a responsibility to act and ensure our students are safe from the Hamas apologists in our own country.”
The congressman also issued a stark warning to those involved in such activities. Earlier in the day, he tweeted, “These students who are intimidating their Jewish peers should be arrested, they should be expelled – and if they aren’t American citizens, they should be deported. We must take a firm stand against hate on our campuses.”
In addition to the day’s discussions, Lawler condemned the support for Hamas seen on various college campuses and criticized university leaders for their lack of action against antisemitic groups. “To the Hamas apologists on college campuses across the country, your support for a terrorist group that butchered women, children, and babies is abominable. And to the university presidents who can’t bring themselves to stand up to these antisemitic radicals – resign and let someone who will crack down on them take charge,” Lawler stated.
In response to these ongoing issues, Congressman Lawler has introduced two legislative measures: the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, which aims to rescind federal funding from institutions that tolerate antisemitic hatred, and the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which seeks to enforce the IHRA working definition of antisemitism in federal anti-discrimination laws.
Reflecting on the broader implications of these events, Lawler added, “I have never seen a more disgraceful act than what we are seeing on college campuses right now. As an Irish Italian Catholic who loves this country, I am appalled. We are a nation of immigrants, of many religions, races, and ethnicities. Our country is the most free country in the world. And yet, what we are seeing on these campuses is an absolute abomination.”