Gottheimer calls on Homeland Security Secretary to address antisemitism in New Jersey, nationwide
Antisemitic Incidents in New Jersey Increased by 25% in 2021
NEW JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) is calling on U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to take urgent additional action to combat antisemitism and prosecute antisemitic hate crimes in New Jersey and nationwide.
In a letter to the Homeland Security Secretary this week, a bipartisan group of 92 Members of Congress is reiterating their concern about the antisemitic threats the American Jewish community has faced across the country in recent years—from Pittsburgh to Poway, from Monsey to Jersey City, and from Lakewood to Colleyville. The Members ask Secretary Mayorkas to advocate for a comprehensive, whole-of-government strategy, led by the Department of Homeland Security, to specifically address the growing problem of domestic antisemitism.
“More can and must be done,” the Members of Congress wrote in a letter to Secretary Mayorkas. “Only by working together, across all branches and levels of government, across our country and throughout our society, can we address the many facets of antisemitism and ensure the safety and security of the American Jewish community.”
The members continued, “Hate in all its forms is destructive and, unaddressed, risks fraying the fabric of our nation. We must continue to speak up and confront antisemitism head-on, whenever and wherever it arises.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) annual audit, the overall number of antisemitic incidents in New Jersey rose by 25% last year — the most ever recorded in New Jersey by the ADL since tracking began.
The letter was signed by: Reps. Ted Deutch, Brian Fitzpatrick, Bradley Schneider, Andrew Garbarino, Jake Auchincloss, Don Bacon, Nanette Barragán, Ami Bera, Donald Beyer, Gus Bilirakis, Suzanne Bonamici, Brendan Boyle, Anthony Brown, Julia Brownley, Shontel Brown, Kathy Castor, David Cicilline, Steve Cohen, Gerald Connolly, Madeleine Dean, Suzan DelBene, Mark DeSaulnier, Byron Donalds, Michael Doyle, Anna Eshoo, Dwight Evans, Lois Frankel, Josh Gottheimer, Chrissy Houlahan, Jared Huffman, Bill Johnson, Mondaire Jones, David Joyce, Marcy Kaptur, Mike Kelly, Derek Kilmer, Young Kim, Raja Krishnamoorthi, James Langevin, Brenda Lawrence, Barbara Lee, Susie Lee, Mike Levin, Ted Lieu, Alan Lowenthal, Elaine Luria, Stephen Lynch, Nancy Mace, Tom Malinowski, Carolyn Maloney, Kathy Manning, Lucy McBath, Betty McCollum, James McGovern, Peter Meijer, Grace Meng, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Frank Mrvan, Jerrold Nadler, Joe Neguse, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Frank Pallone, Jimmy Panetta, Chris Pappas, Donald Payne, Scott Peters, Dean Phillips, Jamie Raskin, Kathleen Rice, Linda Sánchez, John Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Janice Schakowsky, Kim Schrier, David Scott, Brad Sherman, Elissa Slotkin, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Thomas Suozzi, Mike Thompson, William Timmons, Dina Titus, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Juan Vargas, Marc Veasey, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Susan Wild, Frederica Wilson, and John Yarmuth.
