AJC Applauds Bipartisan Jewish American Security Act

At a time when the vast majority of American Jews are feeling less safe, American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, today enthusiastically welcomes the introduction of the bipartisan Jewish American Security Act.

The bill, led by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK), addresses the hate Jewish Americans are experiencing across society, including in educational spaces from K-12 through higher education, at places of worship and community centers, and online. Its introduction comes just two days before the one-year anniversary of the murders of Sarah Milgrim (z"l) and Yaron Lischinsky (z"l), following an AJC ACCESS event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

Nine in 10 (91%) American Jews say they feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. as a result of last year's arson attack on Jewish Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's home, the firebombing of Jews in Boulder, Colo., and the murders of Sarah and Yaron.

"No American should need a security perimeter to pray. No American should be afraid to leave their home or visit a cultural center of their choosing. Yet, that is exactly what Jews in this country are experiencing every day," said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. "We are at an inflection point. Surging antisemitism is not just a threat to the Jewish community; it is a crisis for our democracy and the values we cherish as Americans - pluralism, religious freedom, and the promise of equal protection. We thank Senators Rosen and Lankford for their leadership and demonstrating that confronting this hatred is not a political issue, but a moral obligation."

AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report found that more than half (55%) of American Jews say they changed their behavior in the past year out of fear of antisemitism. This increases to 80% for the 31% of American Jews who reported being the target of antisemitism - in person or virtually - in the last year. Additionally, 17% of American Jews report that they have considered leaving the country due to antisemitism in the past five years, up from 13% in 2024.

The bipartisan legislation responds to the growing threat that antisemitism poses not only to the Jewish community, but also to the core values of American democracy.

• Bolsters protections for Jewish students by:
  • establishing a dedicated antisemitism coordinator within the U.S. Department of Education - ensuring students know their rights and schools their responsibilities under Title VI,
  • improving Title VI enforcement and processing of discrimination complaints, and
  • creating an online "clearinghouse" for school safety and civil rights best practices.
• Requires federally funded K-12 schools and colleges to address antisemitism and other forms of discrimination by:
  • designating Title VI coordinators,
  • maintaining clear, well-publicized nondiscrimination policies and grievance procedures to investigate and resolve complaints, and
  • providing support for those who report discrimination.
• Expands and reforms the Nonprofit Security Grant Program by:
  • increasing authorized funding to $1 billion annually,
  • improving grant administration and support for applicants,
  • broadening allowable uses to support a wider range of security needs, and
  • strengthening congressional oversight to improve transparency, accountability, and fair distribution of funds.
• Strengthens federal monitoring of antisemitic extremism by requiring annual coordinated assessments - on both domestic and transnational antisemitic violent extremist threats - from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and National Counterterrorism Center.
• Increases transparency and accountability for online platforms by requiring large social media platforms to regularly report on:
  • content moderation practices,
  • the sharing and amplification of antisemitic content,
  • inauthentic user accounts, and
  • real-world impact of online hate speech on the U.S. Jewish community

As documented in The State of Antisemitism in America: Findings and Recommendations for Major Digital Platforms, online platforms and social media are where most Americans encounter antisemitism. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of American Jews say they have experienced antisemitism online - either by seeing or hearing it or by being personally targeted. One in five (21%) American Jews who experienced antisemitism online say they felt physically threatened by these incidents. Among U.S. adults who reported seeing or hearing antisemitism in the past 12 months, nearly three-quarters (74%) said they encountered it online or on social media. The next most common source was friends or family, cited by 20% of respondents.

According to AJC's State of Antisemitism in America Report, 70% of U.S. adults say antisemitism is a problem in the U.S. today and nine in 10 believe it is a problem that affects society as a whole and that everyone is responsible for combating it. AJC is encouraging Americans to ask their senators to cosponsor this critical legislation.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, creating trusted partnerships with leaders around the world to ensure Jews and Israel are safe and thriving. Through 40 offices and dozens of partnerships with Jewish communities worldwide, AJC engages leaders in more than 110 countries, empowering those in government, education, partner communities, and the private sector to counter antisemitism and act as allies. For more, please visit www.ajc.org .