Chairman Crowley, Rep. Stephanie Murphy Call for DOJ, DHS Investigation into Threats Against Jewish Community Centers

Chairman Crowley, Rep. Stephanie Murphy Call for DOJ, DHS Investigation into Threats Against Jewish Community Centers

(Queens, the Bronx, NY) – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY), along with Florida Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy, urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to immediately investigate recent threats against Jewish Community Centers, which come as anti-Semitic incidents are on the rise nationally. The bipartisan letter was signed by more than 155 Members of Congress.

“There are few crimes more vile than threatening children, and these anti-Semitic threats against Jewish Community Centers are terrifying for our fellow Americans. The Trump administration, including the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Attorney General, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, must immediately announce their plans to investigate and stop these threats,” said Chairman Crowley. “These crimes are designed to strike fear in the Jewish community. This is unacceptable and the Trump administration must show its willingness to take on these types of crimes.

Chairman Crowley continued, “I deeply appreciate the hard work of Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy in building bipartisan support for this effort. We must thoroughly investigate these threats.”

Congresswoman Murphy said, “These bomb threats are unacceptable. Federal law enforcement agencies must do everything within their power to punish those responsible for the threats that have already taken place, to prevent future threats from occurring, and to ensure these threats are never converted into action. This letter urges senior federal officials to advise Congress on the steps that are being taken to deter these threats from being made, to identify and prosecute the perpetrators, and to enable JCCs to enhance security measures such as physical barriers and guards.”

There have been 68 incidents targeting 53 JCCs in 26 states during the first two months of 2017, according to the JCC Association of North America. The complete text of the letter can be found here.

Featured photo courtesy of Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP (Adults and children return to St. Louis Jewish Community Center on Jan. 18, in St. Louis after canine units cleared the building. According to St. Louis County Police, someone called the front desk claiming a device was inside. )