Former U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at combating rising antisemitism, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

The order directs the Justice Department to take “immediate action” against antisemitic threats, including prosecuting acts of terrorism, arson, vandalism, and violence targeting American Jews. It also calls for increased federal resources to address antisemitism, which the administration claims has surged on college campuses and in public spaces since the attack.

Trump’s order includes provisions to crack down on foreign nationals involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump stated in a fact sheet accompanying the order.

He further vowed to revoke student visas for anyone expressing support for Hamas, saying, “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

However, legal experts and civil rights organizations have condemned the order, arguing that it infringes on First Amendment rights. “The First Amendment protects everyone in the United States, including foreign citizens studying at American universities,” said Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. “Deporting non-citizens on the basis of their political speech would be unconstitutional.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a leading Muslim advocacy group, has also voiced opposition, stating that it is considering legal action if the order is enforced.