Most of us think of Judaism as a religion, rather than a “race, color, or national origin.” So here is the first thing about the Executive Order on Anti-Semitism President Trump signed on December 11 that has raised eyebrows: his order draws attention to anti-Semitism by making it a potential Title VI violation. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance.”
However, since the executive order concedes that Title VI “does not cover discrimination based on religion,” how can it serve the protection of Jews from anti-Semitic harassment?
It asserts that “(d)iscrimination against Jews may give rise to a Title VI violation when the discrimination is based on an individual’s race, color, or national origin.” This means that Jews may claim a violation of their civil rights if they feel discriminated against on the basis of their (perceived) race, color, or national origin as Jews.