The U.S. Department of Justice announced the forthcoming launch of a new advisory body focused on combating antisemitism nationwide amid growing concerns about antisemitic threats, discrimination, and violence across the United States.
The new Anti-Semitism Advisory Committee (ASAC) will provide recommendations to the Attorney General and Justice Department leadership on strategies to address antisemitism through coordinated federal action, civil rights enforcement, and public safety initiatives.
According to the Justice Department, the committee will operate in support of President Donald Trump’s executive actions aimed at combating antisemitism, including Executive Orders 13899 and 14188, which direct federal agencies to use available legal authorities to address antisemitic discrimination and threats.
Antisemitism in the United States has remained at historically elevated levels in recent years, with civil rights organizations and federal law enforcement agencies documenting sharp increases in harassment, vandalism, threats, and violent attacks targeting Jewish Americans. According to the Anti-Defamation League, 2024 saw a record 9,354 antisemitic incidents nationwide, including assaults, vandalism, and harassment — a 344% increase over the past five years.
While overall incidents declined in 2025 to 6,274, the ADL reported that physical assaults against Jewish individuals reached the highest level recorded since tracking began in 1979. The FBI has also reported that anti-Jewish hate crimes account for roughly 70% of all religion-based hate crimes in the United States. In Oregon a Portland man was sentenced in the fall of 2025 for crimes targeting synagogues, black owned businesses, and a mosque. In 2024 a man was charged with defacing a Eugene synagogue painting “White Power” on the building.
Notable recent cases include the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy employees outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., a deadly firebombing attack targeting a pro-Israel gathering in Boulder, Colorado, an arson attack on a synagogue in Arizona, threats against Jewish members of Congress, and repeated antisemitic incidents on college campuses tied to tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Jewish advocacy organizations and federal officials have increasingly warned that antisemitism has become more normalized in public discourse, social media, schools, and public demonstrations following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said combating antisemitism remains a top priority for the administration and emphasized the Justice Department’s responsibility to protect civil rights.
“Protecting civil rights of every American remains a core responsibility of the Department of Justice,” Blanche said in the announcement.
The advisory committee will be led by Leo Terrell, who currently chairs the Justice Department’s Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. The DOJ said the committee will consist of citizen leaders from a range of backgrounds who share a common focus on developing strategies to address antisemitism nationwide.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the administration is committed to confronting antisemitic threats and protecting Americans from unlawful discrimination.
“This Administration is using every tool available to confront antisemitic threats, support local communities, and ensure that radical activists and violent extremists do not intimidate law-abiding Americans,” Woodward said.
The Justice Department stated the committee’s work will align with broader federal civil rights enforcement efforts and ongoing initiatives aimed at protecting Jewish Americans and combating religious discrimination.
The department also encouraged individuals who believe they have experienced discrimination to file complaints through the DOJ Civil Rights Division.
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