A Senate committee has opened an inquiry into actions taken by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, raising alarms that his administration’s rollback of key executive orders could weaken protections against antisemitism and jeopardize billions of dollars in federal funding, the NY Post reports.

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent a formal letter to Mamdani questioning whether rescinding the orders could undermine enforcement of federal civil rights laws — a move that could place approximately $2.2 billion in federal aid in jeopardy.

“Antisemitism is not an abstract concern in New York City; it is a lived reality for millions of students and residents, and its consequences are very serious,” Cassidy wrote in the letter obtained by The New York Post.

He warned that “Decisions by your administration that weaken established safeguards for Jewish students in New York and are out of alignment with federal executive orders warrant careful scrutiny.”

Cassidy added that “Jewish students deserve clear assurance that their safety and civil rights will not be compromised by your administration’s actions.”

Concerns over the mayor’s approach come amid heightened unease within the city’s Jewish community. A survey conducted in January found that 53% of Jewish voters in New York City said they felt threatened by public statements made by the Democratic socialist mayor and similar comments from his political allies.

After taking office, Mamdani nullified every executive order issued by New York City Mayor Eric Adams following Adams’ federal corruption indictment in September 2024.

Among the rescinded measures was a June 8, 2025, order that “created the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism to identify and develop efforts to eliminate antisemitism and anti-Jewish hate crime,” as well as a Dec. 2 order from that year opposing boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns targeting Israel.

Before becoming mayor, Mamdani had publicly labeled Israel an apartheid state and expressed support for the BDS movement.

In his letter, Cassidy noted that the Adams-era antisemitism order relied on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.

“Contrary to your public assertions that ‘a number of leading Jewish organizations have immense concerns around [the IHRA] definition,’ many governments, international institutions, universities, NGOs, and private organizations widely recognize and encourage use of this definition to identify and address contemporary forms of antisemitism,” Cassidy wrote.

Mamdani, for his part, has argued that the IHRA definition improperly blurs the line between antisemitism and criticism of Israel or Zionism.

“I am someone who has supported and support BDS and nonviolent approaches to address Israeli state violence,” he previously told Bloomberg News.

The Adams executive order addressing BDS had also prohibited mayoral appointees, contracting officials, and agency heads from adopting policies that discriminated against Israel or Israeli nationals.

This week, employees at the New York City Department of Health formed a working group that critics say may have violated that now-rescinded policy by accusing Israel of genocide.

The group, known as the “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group,” met Tuesday afternoon, where a presenter described one of its objectives as responding “to the ongoing genocide in Palestine,” according to a report first published by The New York Post.

Cassidy further underscored that the New York City Department of Education was slated to receive $2.2 billion in federal funding for its operating budget as of June 2025.

“Continued eligibility for this funding is contingent on compliance with federal civil rights laws and applicable executive orders designed to protect students,” he wrote.

The senator asked Mamdani to detail how his administration plans to “combat antisemitism at schools” and “protect Jewish students,” to identify whether it intends to adopt an alternative definition of antisemitism, and to explain what guidance, if any, has been issued to schools on handling related complaints.

Cassidy also pressed the mayor on whether his administration “consulted with the US Department of Education,” “the Department of Justice or any other federal agency regarding the potential funding implications of rescinding the IHRA-related executive order.”

He concluded by demanding clarification of Mamdani’s current position on the BDS movement.

{Matzav.com}