Jewish Voice for Peace Opposes Trump’s Plan to Silence and Deport Anti-War Students

Donald Trump is reportedly planning to continue his violent crusade aimed at gutting freedom and democracy with an Executive Order today calling for the deportation of non-citizen anti-war activists, with a particular focus on students. This is a vile attempt to sow fear and crush political dissent to the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, as well as to further the far-Right’s broader anti-immigrant agenda. Should there be any attempt to enforce this authoritarian, unconstitutional, and violent executive order, we call on elected officials, university administrators, and all people of conscience to boldly reject these orders.
This Executive Order is pulled directly from the pages of the far-Right Heritage Foundation’s “Project Esther” report, which is a blueprint for using the federal government and private institutions to dismantle the Palestine solidarity movement and broader U.S. civil society, under the guise of “fighting antisemitism.” These tactics are built to disrupt the historic movement for Palestinian liberation across the U.S. — including on college campuses — before then using those same tactics to attack a wide range of progressive social justice movements.

The Heritage Foundation, Trump administration, and far-Right forces in this country are the greatest purveyors of antisemitism and violence against Jewish Americans. This Executive Order should be taken as the sham that it is. Trump, the far-Right, and ultra-conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation have never protected Jewish people; they are not concerned with Jewish safety, nor do their actions protect Jewish communities. Presidential actions like this Executive Order instrumentalize real concern for Jewish safety as a cudgel to attack fundamental rights and freedom, to shut down Palestinian rights organizing, and to advance the MAGA agenda.

Stefanie Fox, Executive Director Jewish Voice for Peace: “We stand with the student protestors who so bravely put their bodies and academic careers on the line to save lives and demand an end to the Israeli military’s destruction of Gaza. As Jews we refuse to be pawns in the far-Right’s authoritarian takeover. Trump and his cronies do not care about Jewish safety — in fact, they and the White Nationalists who support them are themselves the greatest threat to American Jews. They are waging a campaign against all those who are brave enough to challenge their power.”

Benjamin Kersten, a Jewish student at UCLA who joined the student encampment against the Israeli military’s genocide last spring: “This Executive Order has the potential to rip apart our communities, destroy my fellow classmates' lives, and set a precedent that allows for authoritarian attacks on any group that opposes the MAGA agenda. As a Jewish student I refuse to allow my identity to be fuel for fascist crackdown on my fellow students.”

Jonah Rubin, JVP’s Manager of Campus Organizing:“This moment in history requires all of us to stand with young people who cry out for freedom and justice. Every single university president should publicly refuse any and all cooperation with the federal authorities trying to harm their students. This is a historic moment when university administrators must pick a side: Will you collaborate in the federal government's authoritarian assault on students or will you stand up for the fundamental right to free speech?”

Over the last year and a half tens of thousands of students across the country, including many Jewish students, led historic protests calling for an end to the Israeli military’s destruction of Gaza. The students bravely endured police violence and draconian punishments from campus administrators, yet were resolute in their calls for safety and freedom for Palestinians. These nonviolent protests represent the preference of a majority of Americans who continue to demand a permanent ceasefire and an end of US-tax payer funding of weapons to the Israeli military. History has shown time and time again to follow the lead of young people. Students were right in demanding an end to the brutal war on Vietnam and were right to pressure their universities to divest from South African apartheid. And history will show that these young people were right to fight against the Israeli government’s genocide of Palestinians.

Stefanie Fox, Jonah Rubin, Jewish college students and Professors of Jewish history and antisemitism are available for comment