Attorney General Bondi Says DOJ Will Enforce Consequences for Antisemitism

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi used a major gathering of the Israeli-American community on Friday to draw a clear enforcement line, warning that the Justice Department is moving aggressively from condemning to enforcing, prosecuting, and penalizing antisemitism across the United States.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Israeli-American Council (IAC) in Florida, Bondi said federal authorities would no longer tolerate attacks on Jewish Americans, particularly on college campuses. “The days of attacking Jewish students on campus simply because they are Jewish are over,” she said. “That will not happen under President Trump’s leadership.”

Bondi said antisemitism was allowed to spread because institutions failed to act. She accused universities and public leaders of remaining silent as hostility toward Jews grew. “Too many institutions failed to meet their moral responsibility. Too many leaders stayed silent,” she said. “Actions have consequences, and so does inaction.”

Bondi said this was more than condemnations, pointing to the Justice Department’s actions against violent antisemitic attacks. She referenced the fatal shooting at the Jewish Museum in Washington, where Israeli Embassy employees Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were murdered. Bondi said federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case. “We will not tolerate this in our country anymore,” she said. “We are prosecuting the monster and will seek the death penalty.”

Bondi also highlighted new legal approaches being used to protect Jewish houses of worship. She said the Justice Department has filed lawsuits against violent protesters who intimidated Jewish Americans while they were praying in synagogues, invoking a federal statute that has rarely been applied in such cases. “This is the first time since the law was passed in 1995 that it has been used to protect a house of worship,” she said.

The attorney general cited the recent arson attack on a synagogue in Mississippi. She said the department is working to charge the suspect with a hate crime. “Too many Jewish Americans are forced to live in fear,” Bondi said, adding that synagogues across the country have been compelled to invest in heavy security measures.

Turning to higher education, Bondi said Jewish students are being harassed simply for attending classes, while Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses are being targeted for boycotts. She warned that the Justice Department would no longer allow such conduct to go unpunished. “We will not allow acts of antisemitism to go unpunished in this country under President Trump’s leadership,” she said.

Bondi backed up that warning with figures. She said Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million after violating the civil rights of Jewish students and employees. Northwestern University will pay $75 million over antisemitic conduct, while Cornell University will pay $60 million, including court orders requiring the university to halt antisemitic behavior.