House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) on Tuesday accused Columbia University leadership of civil rights violations over its handling of destructive anti-Israel protests on campus. did.
In a letter to Biden administration officials, Stefanik called for federal funding to be stripped from Ivy League schools, citing alleged violations of civil rights laws.
“The ongoing situation is a systemic failure of Columbia University leadership to address ongoing anti-Semitism, a failure to enforce campus policies, and a failure to meet its responsibilities under federal law.” the New York Republican wrote in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel. Cardona, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called for immediate action.
“Her lack of action has forced the President to [Minouche] “Shafik has abdicated control of the campus and has failed to provide equal protection to students guaranteed under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” Stefanik said. “Columbia University is complicit in this violation by knowingly allowing it to continue.”
Stefanik, 39, said there was “clear and convincing” evidence that Jewish students attending Columbia University were being targeted by anti-Israel protesters because of their religious beliefs, and that the university “We have allowed this to continue without any consequences,” he said.
In November, the Department of Education launched an investigation into seven schools, including Columbia University, over alleged anti-Semitic incidents on campus.
“It is past time for the Department of Education to make its findings public,” Stefanik said of the ongoing investigation, urging Cardona to “hold universities accountable.”
“Furthermore, the Department must take steps to cancel federal funds flowing to Columbia and similar institutions so that taxpayers are not funding ongoing discrimination.”
Stefanik, who has harshly criticized several university presidents this year amid a wave of anti-Semitism on college campuses, also called on Mayorkas to revoke visas and suspend students for anti-Semitic acts. He asked for his deportation.
Stefanik previously called on Columbia University’s president to resign, saying he was “putting the safety of Jewish students at risk.”
More than 100 people have been arrested since last week at anti-Israel protests on Columbia University’s Manhattan campus.
The school closed its doors to students and faculty in the wake of the riot and announced it would hold hybrid classes instead of in-person learning for the rest of the semester.
Stefanik criticized Shafik for the decision, claiming the president had given in to the mob’s “anarchy” instead of punishing the protesters.
