The brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 that claimed the lives of innocent Israelis and Americans exposed a disturbing undercurrent of antisemitism in America.
Nowhere has this been more apparent than on college campuses, where Jewish students are facing harassment, intimidation, and hate at an alarming rate.
As a Member of Congress, I believe it is my duty to speak out clearly and forcefully against this hatred.
When I was in college, I did not attend an elite university. My college path was certainly not traditional. And despite this, I still had the opportunity to achieve the American dream. I worked while putting myself through community college and eventually transferred to a four-year university to earn my business degree. I worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years, eventually building my former business from the ground up. Today, I serve as the highest-ranking woman in Congress, representing Michigan’s Ninth Congressional District.
There’s no singular path to success. What matters is that every student—Jewish or not—can pursue their education in a safe and respectful environment. I did. But currently, far too many campuses are failing this basic test.
I was safe on my campus, and it never crossed my mind that I would be targeted for my identity or faith. It does not have to be this way, and it definitely should not be acceptable to anyone.
According to a recent Anti-Defamation League survey, 81 percent of Jewish college students avoid certain places, events, and situations. Sixty percent of students say they witnessed a faculty member make an offensive antisemitic remark to them or someone they know.
While free speech is a cornerstone of American democracy, there is a clear line between protest and persecution. When Jewish students are afraid to wear a yarmulke or even attend class, we are no longer talking about speech—we are talking about intimidation.
Some of the worst failures are occurring at our most prestigious institutions. Ivy League universities, with billion-dollar endowments and global reputations, have allowed antisemitism to fester under the guise of political expression.
When questioned at last year’s Congressional hearing, Harvard’s now former, disgraced president could not even answer if calling for the genocide of Jews violates the university’s rules on bullying and harassment. Contrast that with President Trump’s executive order recognizing antisemitism as a form of discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. That action helped clarify what too many college administrators have been unwilling to admit: antisemitism is a civil rights issue.
As we continue to confront antisemitism on American college campuses, I want to remind students and parents that the elite institutions where these abhorrent actions are taking place are not your only option. I encourage you to look beyond the Ivy League—to community colleges, faith-based institutions, and regional universities that prioritize student safety. Reform is needed, and accountability is long overdue.
In Congress, we are taking action. We increased oversight of higher education institutions through hearings and appropriations. This Wednesday, May 7, the House Committee on Education and Workforce, which I sit on, will hold another hearing to investigate antisemitism on college campuses and consider funding implications for schools that fail to protect their students.
I plan to question the university presidents before us on the actions they have taken to end antisemitism on their campuses and ensure the civil rights of all students are protected. If they have not, then why should federal money support their institutions?
Let me be clear: receiving federal funding is a privilege, not a right. It should not be extended to institutions that allow bigotry to go unchecked.
The fight against antisemitism is not partisan—it’s moral. It’s about who we are as a nation. Leaders in every community must denounce antisemitism without equivocation.
We must build campuses—and a country—where every student is respected and free to learn without oppression. If that requires using every tool available, including withholding federal funding, so be it. The stakes are too high for silence.
Lisa McClain represents Michigan’s 9th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives and is the Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference.
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