Cornyn, Republicans Senators Call on AG Garland to Quell College Anti-Israel Protests

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined 26 of his Republican colleagues in the upper chamber in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona regarding the anti-Israel protests on college campuses, notably Columbia University.

Sen. Cornyn and his colleagues demanded that AG Garland and Secretary Cardona “restore order to campuses” that have seen “anti-Semitic mobs that are targeting Jewish students.”

They also described the protest participants as “pro-terrorist.”

“We write regarding the outbreak of anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist mobs on college campuses,” wrote the senators. “These pro-Hamas rioters have effectively shut down college campuses and have literally chased Jewish students away from our schools. The Department of Education and federal law enforcement must act immediately to restore order, prosecute the mobs who have perpetuated violence and threats against Jewish students, revoke the visas of all foreign nationals (such as exchange students) who have taken part in promoting terrorism, and hold accountable school administrators who have stood by instead of protecting their students.”

They would also point out that a Jewish leader at Columbia has told Jewish students to avoid campus amidst the protests promulgated by “prominent leftists.”

Anti-Israel protestors, spurred on by prominent leftists, have gathered on college campuses in recent days, chanting anti-Semitic slogans and directly threatening Jewish students. The situation has so devolved that a prominent Jewish rabbi at Columbia University urged Jewish students to flee campus and stay away for their own safety,” wrote Sen. Cornyn and others. “Columbia University has been one of the most public examples, but violence and threats against Jewish students have also been committed at other so-called ‘elite’ universities in recent days. For example, at Yale University, a Jewish student journalist was reportedly attacked over the weekend by a pro-Hamas mob while attempting to film a protest.”

The senators asked AG Garland and Secretary Cardona to back up President Joe Biden’s (D) condemnation of anti-Semitism with action.

“Rioting violates federal law. Violence or attempted violence against anyone because of their Jewish heritage violates federal law. School administrators’ failure to protect Jewish students from discrimination or harassment violates federal law and is grounds for those schools losing access to federal funds. Espousing support for terrorists such as Hamas violates federal immigration law and is grounds for deportation,” concluded the senators.

They demanded action by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24.

The letter was led by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), and it was also signed by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), James Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) alongside Sen. Cornyn.