The Trump administration is set to roll out a nationwide effort against antisemitism by dispatching senior Justice Department officials to 15 cities identified as having fallen short in safeguarding their Jewish residents.

Leo Terrell, who leads the Justice Department Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and serves as senior counsel, informed The Jerusalem Post that the plan received approval from President Donald Trump and department leaders, with rollout slated for early September.

"The 15-city tour aims to reach victims requiring assistance that local governments have not provided," Terrell stated.

"We are operating around the clock to launch this tour likely in early September, and it will continue for the following 60 to 90 days," he noted.

This effort broadens the administration focus on antisemitism from university settings into local areas where Jewish Americans have faced increased threats and incidents since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, according to Terrell.

Instead of limiting interactions to local officials, the federal team intends to engage directly with impacted communities through an interagency approach.

"I am arriving with a complete team of experts," Terrell said. "I am including the Department of Labor, the FBI, along with additional resources and law enforcement personnel."

The objectives include educating Jewish communities on their legal protections and drawing public attention to what Terrell described as inadequate enforcement of hate crime statutes by local authorities.

Terrell Highlights New York and Los Angeles as Potential Stops

Although Terrell did not name the specific 15 cities, he cited New York and Los Angeles as examples where local leaders have not sufficiently pursued antisemitic offenses.

"Local district attorneys and mayors are failing to prosecute hate crimes," he said. "Hate crime convictions or charges are absent in these blue cities."

He further criticized teachers unions in Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia for promoting what he called anti-Jewish indoctrination in K-12 education.

"This must end because local officials are not implementing any fixes," Terrell added.

When asked about federal intervention amid local control by governors and mayors, Terrell recognized the discretion held by those officials but pointed to available federal options.

"Primarily, we aim to expose their shortcomings," he said. "They require greater transparency."

The public effort seeks to record perceived systemic issues before pursuing additional legal steps.

"If they do not act for Jewish Americans, the federal government may initiate what is known as a pattern-and-practice lawsuit," Terrell explained. "We must first document the shortcomings before corrective measures can follow."

Beyond NY and LA: Trump Administration Receives Nationwide Reports of Antisemitism

While New York and Los Angeles receive much attention, Terrell indicated reports have arrived from Jewish communities throughout the country.

"It is obvious there are issues in New York," he said. "It is obvious there are issues in Los Angeles."

"Yet in Seattle, Tacoma and various smaller Midwest cities, we have been overwhelmed with input. I have received calls from St. Louis regarding ongoing hate crimes," he continued.

Terrell emphasized that the campaign extends beyond Jewish protection to uphold wider American principles.

"My appeal reached not only the Jewish population but all citizens," he said. "Addressing antisemitism represents an American concern."

The initiative builds on prior Trump administration measures against antisemitism at universities, including probes into campuses accused of inadequate student protections.

Terrell indicated the new approach applies similar principles to city governments.

"We are visiting the cities," he said. "I want these Americans equipped with knowledge. They lack it locally, so we will outline their rights."

The campaign incorporates a broad media component to counter antisemitic material online.

"We will appear on radio, podcasts and across social media platforms," Terrell said. "We will begin at the tour start, continue through it and follow up afterward."

"We will counter the falsehoods and hostility present on social media," he added.

During a recent address at an Israel on Campus Coalition gathering, Terrell addressed the so-called Jewish tax, referring to security costs borne by Jewish institutions.

"A Jewish tax occurs when the Jewish community pays 60,000 dollars, 70,000 dollars or 80,000 dollars for police protection at synagogues," he said. "A three-day convention like this might require 200,000 dollars in security."

"No other group faces this expense," he argued.

In follow-up remarks, Terrell maintained that safeguarding synagogues, schools and events falls to local governments rather than the communities.

"The mayor and local law enforcement bear responsibility for city protection," he said. "They should direct officers to secure that school or synagogue. Yet they are not doing so. They are neglecting action despite awareness of the problem."