Federal effort to combat antisemitism at colleges coming to Los Angeles
Created under President Trump's executive order, the newly appointed Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism notified mayors, district attorneys and law enforcement in four major cities that it wants to meet soon.
Task Force Leader and Senior Counsel, Leo Terrell, informed city leaders in New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles that officials are reviewing claims that schools failed to protect Jewish students from discrimination – potentially violating federal law.
'Antisemitism, harassment, vandalism and violence have no place… anywhere in our city,' said a statement released by Mayor Karen Bass' office. 'The mayor will continue to coordinate closely with local and state law enforcement, area universities and community leaders to keep campuses safe and peaceful.'
Terrell said the Task Force will meet with city leaders 'to quickly and effectively identify ways that, working together or apart, we return safety, civility, and sanity to our nation's schools.'
'I'm a Jewish student myself at UCLA, this is my first year and I couldn't be happier for where I ended up at school,' Benjamin Katz told KTLA's Gene Kang. 'I'm really relieved that this initiative is being put in place.'
UCLA's chancellor Dr. Julio Frenk told Bruins that their task force to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel bias includes enhanced training and education while improving the complaint system and assuring enforcement of current and new laws and policies.
'Unfortunately we're seeing actions claiming to protect students and to stop violence, but it doesn't seem to expand to students who are Palestinians, Arab or Muslim,' said Amr Shabaik, L.A. Legal Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
In a statement, Chancellor Frenk said, in part: 'With honest reflection, it is clear that while we have made progress in addressing antisemitism, we have more to do in our shared goal of eradicating it in its entirety.'
In addition, USC released a statement, saying: 'The university has publicly and unequivocally denounced antisemitism in all its forms, and has taken strong actions to protect all of our students – including members of our Jewish community – from illegal discrimination of any kind.'
Federal officials did not immediately specify when those task force meetings will happen with Mayor Bass, but they said they want to move quickly.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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