Exclusive: Jewish groups rebuke Trump on immigration, Musk moves
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President Trump speaks after a swearing-in ceremony for U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Photo: Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A broad coalition of Jewish organizations, including reform and conservative Jewish groups, is denouncing President Trump over moves on democracy, his "scapegoating" of immigrants and transgender people, and says his empowering of Elon Musk "to force ideological conformity" threatens the country's "democratic norms."
Why it matters: The open letter, which was released Friday, is signed by more than 100 groups from many Jewish denominations, perspectives and broad missions. It's the latest criticism of Trump by religious organizations over his immigration and cost-cutting policies.
Zoom in: The groups say Trump's moves to deport huge numbers of undocumented immigrants, freeze federal funds and dismantle international programs "fundamentally threaten the freedoms and safety of all Americans."
- The groups emphasize that legitimate policy debates and disagreements are fine — and note that there are disputes among the letter's signees — but say Trump's recent actions go far beyond that.
- "It is a direct assault on the very principles that underpin our democracy — principles including equal justice under the law; the protection of fundamental civil liberties and civil rights," the groups write.
- The letter expresses concern about the "scapegoating and dehumanization of immigrants, people of color, transgender people and other marginalized groups to justify draconian and unconstitutional policies."
Zoom out: The letter was organized by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and representatives of two of the major Jewish denominations: the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and the Conservative movement's Rabbinic Assembly.
- Other notable signatories include National Council of Jewish Women, HIAS, J Street, T'ruah, Bend the Arc and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.
The White House did not respond directly to the letter's message in a statement to Axios.
- "President Trump is delivering on the promises that earned him a resounding mandate from the American people," Harrison Fields, the White House's principal deputy press secretary, told Axios.
The intrigue: The freezing of federal funds and a takeover of the federal payments system and classified information by Elon Musk, an unelected ally of Trump, alarms the Jewish groups.
- Those moves are "intended to force ideological conformity" and "make it harder for individuals and groups to exercise their rights," the groups' letter says.
What they're saying: "We know where this leads, for Jews and for so many others, and we are proud that this broad coalition is sending an unmistakable message that Jewish Americans will stand for democracy at this critical moment," Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, tells Axios.
- "When we see an administration upend democratic norms and take actions that clearly ignore the law and upend the Constitution, we must stand up for democratic processes, and the rights of all vulnerable people," Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of the Rabbinical Assembly, tells Axios.
- "Threats to democratic norms and our democracy overall make us less safe as Jews and as Americans," said Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Context: The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Episcopal Church and Quaker groups have criticized Trump for allowing federal officials to arrest undocumented immigrants in "sensitive" spaces such as schools and houses of worship.
- Pope Francis called Trump's plan to deport millions of immigrants from the U.S. a "disgrace."
- Vice President Vance countered that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has "not been a good partner in common-sense immigration enforcement."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional context on the open letter..
