BOSTON — The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism notified leaders of four major cities on Thursday that it wanted to meet to discuss their responses to incidents of antisemitism at schools and on college campuses since 2023.
The cities are Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
According to the Department of Justice, Mayors Michelle Wu of Boston, Eric Adams of New York, Karen Bass of Los Angeles and Brandon Johnson of Chicago were informed by a leading member of the task force, Leo Terrell, that his team was aware of allegations of unlawful discrimination against Jewish students at schools and campuses in their respective cities.
Terrell said he intends to meet with leadership brass, impacted students, and local law enforcement to gather information about the alleged incidents. From there, he will determine whether or not federal intervention is warranted. It’s unclear when the leaders will meet and what federal intervention will look like.
“The Task Force looks forward to meeting with the mayors and other municipal leaders in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston to quickly and effectively identify ways that, working together or apart, we return safety, civility, and sanity to our nation’s schools,” said Terrell.
“Too many elected officials chose not to stand up to a rising tide of antisemitism in our cities and campuses following the horrific events of October 7, 2023,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “Actions have consequences – inaction does, too.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Mayor Wu’s office said they stand firmly against antisemitism.
“Boston has one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in America, a source of pride and strength for our City and our region, and we stand firmly against antisemitism. We were made aware of this inquiry from media reports and will determine the right way to participate as we learn more and discuss with our Jewish community leaders and partners.”
On Monday, six Massachusetts colleges received letters from the Department of Education regarding investigations into “antisemitic eruptions” on campus. The DOE warned of potential “enforcement actions” if the colleges were found to not be in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
These actions come in response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order to combat antisemitism.
The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism was formed on February 3, 2025 as part of that executive order.
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