WASHINGTON D.C.— Today, Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, delivered the following opening statement in a hearing to assess the threat of antisemitic and anti-Israel terrorism in the United States, especially in the wake of the recent attacks in Washington D.C. and Boulder, Colorado. 

Watch Chairman Pfluger’s full opening statement in a hearing entitled, “The Rise of Anti-Israel Extremist Groups and Their Threat to U.S. National Security.”

As prepared for delivery:

Good morning and thank you to my colleagues, our witnesses, and all who have joined us for today’s important hearing on a deeply troubling and persistent issue – one that strikes at the core of our national values.

We convene today in the shadow of a deeply unsettling trend: the continuing rise in antisemitic attacks across the United States. This alarming pattern has been brought into sharp and painful focus by the recent incidents in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colorado.

Here in our nation’s capital, just blocks from where we sit two young and innocent lives were taken in a brutal attack at the Capital Jewish Museum following an event for young Jewish Professionals.

In Boulder, Colorado, several individuals were severely injured in a horrific act of violence during a peaceful demonstration meant to highlight the plight of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas.

Most recently, anti-ICE rioters in Los Angeles have attacked federal agents—torching streets, defacing property, and assaulting officers for enforcing the law.

In Paramount, agents deployed tear gas and flash-bangs to disperse violent mobs. President Trump responded decisively, sending 2,000 National Guard troops to restore order and protect the public.

Instead of standing with law enforcement to protect communities, Governor Newsom dismissed the deployment, downplaying the violence altogether. This reckless refusal to acknowledge the severity of the crisis undermines public safety and sends a message that lawlessness will be tolerated.

Last week, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released a video calling for attacks on U.S. soil—specifically targeting government officials, companies tied to the war in Gaza, and Jewish institutions. The group’s leader even cited recent attacks here in D.C. as examples to follow. This is a chilling reminder: antisemitic hate is not only rising—it’s being weaponized by foreign terrorist organizations and inspiring violence right here at home.

These incidents are not isolated; they reflect a broader and deeply troubling surge in antisemitic rhetoric and violence — both online and in our neighborhoods. As the numbers continue to rise, fear is taking hold on Jewish communities nationwide.

For the fourth consecutive year, antisemitic incidents have increased in all 50 states. This is not a localized problem—it is a national crisis.

We cannot talk about national security without addressing the policies that allowed this environment to take root. When President Trump took office in January, we quickly saw the truth: what we had been told for four years—that our hands were tied by the current laws—was a lie. We didn’t need more legislation. We needed leadership that was willing to secure the border and enforce the laws already in existence.

And while this new leadership led to historic lows in illegal border crossings, the danger we now face comes not from those trying to get in—but from those already here. For four years, the Biden Administration opened the floodgates, allowing millions to pour across our border unchecked. Among them are individuals who now exploit weak immigration enforcement and thrive in a system that refuses to apply existing laws—laws meant to protect us from exactly this kind of hate and violence.

Last year, I came before this committee to confront Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about these very dangers. I warned about the people already living among us—people who have been radicalized, emboldened, and driven to hate. Today, we are seeing this threat materialize before our eyes.
 
These heinous acts of hatred are not only attacks on individual lives – they are assaults on the very principles of religious freedom, safety, and security that form the foundation of our democracy.

What’s worse, this hatred is not confined to dark corners of the internet or lone extremists. It is now showing up in our institutions—in places that should be safe and inclusive. Our schools and universities, have become breeding grounds for antisemitism. Jewish students are being harassed, intimidated, and, in some cases, physically attacked—often with little to no response from university leadership. This failure to act is not neutrality—it is complicity.

Let me be absolutely clear: anyone who refuses to call out these hate-filled actors, who fails to condemn their vile actions loudly and unequivocally, is no longer a bystander—they are complicit. Silence and apathy in the face of antisemitism is not neutrality—it is permission. And it enables the hate to spread and the violence to escalate. We will no longer tolerate cowardice or indifference when Jewish lives are under threat.

The Jewish community has long been a vibrant and integral part of our nation’s fabric. Yet today, too many Jewish Americans are now living with an ever-present fear – for their families, their institutions, and their future – simply because of who they are and what they believe.
 
This hearing is an opportunity to confront the threat head on. It is a chance to hear directly from Jewish leaders, law enforcement officials, and community experts on the front lines – and ask ourselves, and to determine what more Congress and our government must do to respond effectively?

The Trump Administration issued a vital executive order to combat antisemitism on college campuses and protect Jewish students. Despite these positive steps, widespread harassment of Jewish students at dozens of universities across the country has persisted.

Whether it means improving how we track and report hate crimes, investing in stronger security for at-risk communities or expanding education to dispel antisemitic myths – one thing is clear: action is not optional, it is imperative.

Our purpose today is clear: to understand the root causes of this rise in antisemitic violence, to hold accountable those who perpetrate and enable it, and to strengthen our response to protect vulnerable communities. We must examine how we can all work together to confront hate and build resilience.

This hearing is a call to action — to reaffirm that hatred and bigotry have no place in America, and to ensure that every citizen can live without fear of discrimination or violence.

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses and working together with my colleagues to forge a path forward that promotes safety, justice, and unity.

Let this hearing make one thing absolutely clear: there is no room for antisemitism in the United States of America. Not in Boulder, Colorado, not in Washington, D.C., not anywhere.

Thank you to all our witnesses for being with us this morning, and I look forward to the discussion ahead.

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