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By Etan Nechin
NEW YORK – Shortly before Christmas, members of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and their non-Jewish progressive allies joined dozens of immigrants at City Hall to protest Mayor Eric Adams' decision to meet with incoming border czar Tom Homan.
The rally aimed to "educate New Yorkers about who Tom Homan is," says the group's director, Sophie Ellman-Golan, and ensure that New York remains a safe place for immigrants under the new Trump administration.
"We know what we're facing because we've seen it before, we know the best way to ensure not only immigrants, but New Yorkers and Americans are protected, is to band together," she adds.
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice is not alone. With Donald Trump's return to the White House this week, Jewish progressive organizations, activists and leaders are gearing up to counter his policies, educate constituents and build alliances with other progressive groups.
Memories of Trump's first administration – the Muslim ban, the Charlottesville riots, the Tree of Life synagogue massacre, the administration's response to the protests over George Floyd's murder and the assault on reproductive rights – are still fresh on their minds. Fears that his second term may be worse, in view of the Supreme Court's ruling that all "official acts of a president" are immune from criminal prosecution, is pervasive.
Indeed, during last year's campaign, Trump went so far as to accuse migrants of eating cats and dogs. He also admonished Jewish voters that if he lost the election, they would be to blame.
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Some Jewish progressives see an opportunity for reconnecting with old allies by joining forces to fight against H.R. 9495, the "Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act" passed by the House last November.
The bill grants the treasury broad authority to revoke nonprofits' tax-exempt status for alleged ties to terrorism. Critics warn it could be misused to stifle dissent and target advocacy groups, especially those focused on human rights and social justice. Congress is set to revisit the bill in its next session.
Organizations with differing ideologies, such as J Street, a liberal Jewish advocacy group, and Jewish Voice for Peace, a progressive anti-Zionist group supporting initiatives like the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, have united in opposition to the bill, Ellman-Golan notes. "Its reintroduction next session could foster meaningful collaboration on the right to organize and resist."
Margo Hughes-Robinson, executive director of Partners for Progressive Israel, a member organization of the Progressive Israel Network that also includes groups such as J Street, T'ruah and the New Israel Fund, believes the bill will serve as a crucial test for coalition-building within the progressive movement.
"While PPI may not be directly impacted initially, defending the rights of all organizations, even those we deeply disagree with, is essential," she says.