FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 15, 2025 – The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) yesterday hosted two sessions on Capitol Hill – a bipartisan educational briefing for Congressional staff on the rise of antisemitism in the United States, followed by a closed-door policy workshop focused on developing strategies to ban the growing threat of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States. Both sessions were organized and hosted by ISGAP as part of its long-term mission to expose ideological extremism and develop policy-based solutions to protect democratic societies.

The first session, “Antisemitism in America: Understanding the Threat and Crafting Effective Responses,” drew staffers from both sides of the aisle. It featured remarks from House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism Co-Chairs Congressman Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, who is overseeing the new antisemitism task force established by the Department of Justice. The session examined contemporary manifestations of antisemitism in the United States, particularly the convergence of violence on campus and extremist ideologies.

While the discussion touched on a wide range of contributing factors, including the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in spreading antisemitic rhetoric, the focus was educational and forward-looking, emphasizing bipartisan commitment to confronting hate through education and civic engagement.

The session also introduced ISGAP’s newly formed Task Force on Contemporary Antisemitism, which will bring together leading legal scholars, researchers, and civil society leaders to provide policy recommendations and educational resources for lawmakers.

The Hon. Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Civil Rights, Department of Justice, said: “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice does not tolerate the shocking, even criminal behavior that Jewish Americans have experienced on their college campuses, in their workplaces, and in their houses of worship. Those who facilitate such abhorrent and unlawful behavior should expect swift action by the Civil Rights Division.”

Congressman Dan Goldman said: “The rise of antisemitism both across the United States and around the world is deeply troubling and utterly unacceptable. Organizations like the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy are critical in fighting the root of antisemitism, which is the same as hate against any protected class: prejudice and bigotry. I am proud to work with such a critical organization on the front lines of combating antisemitism and look forward to our continued partnership in rooting out hate in all its forms.”

Congressman Don Bacon said: ““As Americans, antisemitism shouldn’t be a left or right issue. It’s an American issue. Nobody should feel threatened when attending class, going to religious services or living their lives. I will not be a bystander on this issue. We need to find our moral courage and speak out in a bipartisan manner. The frequency of antisemitism has skyrocketed, and it’s intolerable. We must shine a
light on it and call it out whenever we see it.”

In the second session, ISGAP convened a workshop entitled “Policy Development Workshop on the Banning of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States,” bringing together top scholars, analysts, former policymakers, and legal experts from across the United States and around the world to assess the Brotherhood’s decades-long campaign to infiltrate and destabilize American democratic institutions.

Participants examined the Muslim Brotherhood’s 1991 “Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America,” a foundational document outlining the movement’s ambition to conduct a “civilizational jihad” – a covert and long-term effort to subvert Western democracy from within by manipulating government, civil rights infrastructure, educational systems, and policymaking institutions.

Dr. Charles Asher Small, Executive Director of ISGAP, opened the session, saying: “We are witnessing the consequences of the Muslim Brotherhood’s long-term plan to undermine democracy from within. The recent wave of violent unrest in the United States – which has included threats to Americans, their safety and their lives, vandalism, and the destruction of property – is the result of a radical ideological infrastructure led by the same forces associated with the atrocities of October 7, carried out by the Palestinian chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood – Hamas. The Muslim Brotherhood is backed and financed by the Qatari regime. Qatar is not only their main financier – it is their enabler, their host, and their lifeline. This is not a theoretical debate about civil liberties. It is a national security emergency, and the time to act is now. ISGAP is committed to leading this fight, from the halls of Congress to the front lines of ideological warfare.” Participants argued that recent developments in the United States – including open expressions of support for Hamas, disruptions of public order, and the spread of incitement on college campuses – demonstrate that the threat is no longer a theoretical issue of freedom of speech, but has crossed a line into action and terrorism.

Legal experts at the workshop explored options for legislative and regulatory responses, including mechanisms that would distinguish protected speech from organized, coordinated, and subversive activities linked to violent extremist goals and criminal activity.

This workshop marks ISGAP’s broader commitment to develop and promote policy solutions, including expert briefings, publications, and public awareness initiatives under the banner of its #BanTheBrotherhood initiative.

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For media inquiries contact Raoul Wootliff at [email protected]