A group of 27 U.S. senators wrote to Merrick Garland, the U.S. attorney general, and Miguel Cardona, the U.S. education secretary, on Tuesday demanding that the officials “take action to restore order and protect Jewish students on our college campuses.”
“President Biden issued a statement on Sunday, purporting to condemn the outbreak of antisemitism. If that statement was serious, it must be accompanied by immediate action from your departments,” the senators wrote.
“We write regarding the outbreak of antisemitic, pro-terrorist mobs on college campuses. These pro-Hamas rioters have effectively shut down college campuses and have literally chased Jewish students away from our schools,” they wrote.
“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 added.
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) led the letter.
The other signatories—all Republicans—were John Barrasso (Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Katie Britt (Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), John Cornyn (Texas), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Mike Crapo (Idaho), Ted Cruz (Texas), Steve Daines (Mont.), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Josh Hawley (Mo.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), John Kennedy (La.), James Lankford (Okla.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), James Risch (Idaho), Pete Ricketts (Neb.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), John Thune (S.D.) and Thom Tillis (N.C.).
The lawmakers asked the U.S. officials to respond by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
“We have not received a response from either department yet,” Patrick McCann, Cotton’s press secretary, told JNS on Thursday morning.