President Trump Signs Executive Order That Would Enable Deportation of Anti-Semitic Rioters

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would allow federal agencies to deport non-citizens who have engaged in anti-Semitic riots and other violent acts in the United States.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, the order directs the leaders of federal agencies to submit recommendations on possible deportations to the White House within 60 days. It also orders the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate pro-Hamas activity, including harassment, threats, and intimidation against Jewish citizens.

The order declared that the government will “ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States” do not “support designated foreign terrorists.”

In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attack against Israel by Hamas, and over the course of the subsequent war between the two, anti-Semitic protests and riots have raged across the country, particularly on college campuses. Republicans have called for stricter action on such incidents, particularly the ones carried out by non-citizens who are in the country on student visas.

Last month, six committees in the House of Representatives issued a report detailing the previous administration’s failure to address the rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses. The report focused particularly on Columbia University, where rioters vandalized buildings and built an encampment on campus that frequently targeted Jewish students who happened to walk by.

Shortly before taking office, President Trump announced that his transition team had successfully negotiated a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which included the release of multiple Israeli and American hostages. The 45th and 47th President had repeatedly made public threats against Hamas, vowing that there would be “Hell to pay” if the hostages were not released before his inauguration on January 20th.