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House subcommittee hearing urges national strategy as antisemitic attacks rise
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Summary
Lawmakers and experts at a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing described a sustained rise in antisemitic harassment and violence after recent attacks in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colo., and urged a coordinated federal strategy, funding increases and stronger enforcement to protect Jewish communities.
The House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence convened a hearing to examine what members and witnesses called a rising threat of antisemitic violence in the United States, focusing on recent attacks in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado.
"This hearing is an opportunity to confront the threat head on," Chairman Pflueger said in opening remarks, framing the session around protecting Jewish Americans and foreign diplomats on U.S. soil.
Witnesses described a sustained, national rise in antisemitic incidents and called for an interagency national strategy to address the threat. Orin Siegel, senior vice president of counter extremism and intelligence at the Anti-Defamation League, said the ADL documented a record number of antisemitic incidents in 2024 and cited nine terrorism plots or attacks in the last 12 months that the ADL assessed as motivated by antisemitism.
Kerry Sleeper, deputy director for intelligence and information sharing at Secure Community Network, said nonprofit Jewish security groups have identified and shared thousands of online threats with law enforcement and urged a formal, coordinated federal response to protect communities.
Several members highlighted specific violent incidents cited in testimony. Representative Magaziner said, "We convene today in the shadow of a deeply unsettling trend," naming the murders outside a Jewish museum in Washington and the attack in Boulder, Colorado. He and other members offered condolences to victims' families.
Witnesses and members agreed on several priorities but differed on emphasis. Testimony and questioning stressed (1) better information-sharing among federal, state and local agencies, (2) sustained funding for protective grants and prevention programs, and (3) clearer actions to curb online amplification of violent content. James Carafano, a national security expert, urged increased enforcement against material support for violent actors and reinforcement of counterterrorism investigative tools.
The subcommittee did not adopt formal policy or votes during the hearing; members asked witnesses for written follow-up and pledged to pursue recommendations through legislation and appropriations. The hearing record will remain open for follow-up questions, the chair said.
The hearing brought together Jewish communal security organizations, civil-society experts and national-security practitioners to outline options for improving prevention, enforcement and community protection, and committee leaders said they expected further hearings and potential legislative and appropriations actions going forward.
