FIRST ON FOX: As hundreds of protesters flood Washington D.C. objecting to the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one Republican lawmaker is pushing back with a bill that would bar student loan forgiveness for those convicted of hate crimes during anti-Israel student protests.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., is introducing the “Prohibiting Student Loan Forgiveness for Antisemites Act.” That bill would block students who are convicted of hate crimes under state or federal law from being eligible for loan forgiveness.
While the bill is not solely restricted to antisemitism, there has been a wave of protests in the last year targeting Israel since the Oct. 2023 terror attack on Israel by Hamas. President Biden has repeatedly attempted to cancel student loans for tens of millions of students, but this bill would make sure that doesn’t apply to those convicted of antisemitism.
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Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., is introducing the legislation in the House. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Dozens of anti-Israel protests broke out at colleges across America, with a variety of elite institutions being overwhelmed with antisemitic behavior. Protesters at Columbia University and other schools have chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a slogan condemned by critics as antisemitic that’s also used by Hamas. The phrase is widely interpreted as calling for the destruction of the state of Israel and removal of the Jewish people, although its proponents often deny that meaning.
“We must not allow antisemites to benefit from their hate,” Gimenez said in a statement. “With this bill, we ensure that those that are convicted of a state or federal hate crime will not receive loan forgiveness benefits. Hate has no place in our nation, therefore we must and will continue to stand with the U.S. and international Jewish community.”
U.S. Capitol Police detain demonstrators protesting against the military policies of Israel a day before a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu who will address a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday, in the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The bill comes ahead of Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, which has led to a number of protests. The Capitol Police said about 200 people were arrested Tuesday on charges…
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