The Cornell University student who sparked nationwide outrage after saying he was “not interested in working for a Jew” says his parents have thrown him out of their Virginia home, prompting him to launch an online fundraising campaign that has already attracted thousands of dollars from supporters—even as Cornell confirmed he will be returning to campus this fall.

Austin Franco, 19, who drew widespread condemnation after refusing a job interview with New York startup VryfID because its founders are Jewish, announced on X last week that his parents were forcing him to leave their home.

“My parents are kicking me out.”

While Franco says he is no longer welcome in his family’s house, Cornell University indicated it has no plans to expel him. The university confirmed that the rising junior remains enrolled despite the controversy surrounding his antisemitic remarks.

Franco has since created a GiveSendGo fundraising page, which has collected more than $8,000. That campaign comes in addition to another fundraiser that has reportedly raised roughly $25,000 on his behalf.

In his appeal for donations, Franco described his situation and asked supporters for financial assistance.

“I will be kicked out of my home on August 1st. Any support you can provide would be greatly appreciated, as would any advice,” the 19-year-old wrote.

“I have reiterated that my parents do not share my views, and it seems they no longer wish to provide me with a home to live in. I know the road ahead will be difficult, but this is the path I chose.”

Franco also insisted he has no regrets over the positions he has taken, portraying himself as someone standing by his convictions despite the consequences.

“I do not regret anything I have done. If I were to die today, I would at least know that I did so believing in myself. Thank you, and may God be with you.”

The reported eviction comes despite Franco having grown up in a comfortable home. His family resides in a 6,300-square-foot house in a Virginia suburb about 30 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. The property features five bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. His mother, Diana Franco, had previously shared family photos on Instagram—including pictures from Austin’s 18th birthday trip to Paris—before making her account private.

Franco’s father, Alexander, is a patent attorney and Cornell graduate, while his mother works as a senior product manager for a banking regulators’ trade association.

In a statement, Franco’s parents distanced themselves from their son’s views, saying they believe he has been influenced by extremist material online and stressing that the rest of the family strongly rejects his beliefs.

“We have seen our adult son fall under the influence of extremist online content. It should go without saying that the rest of our family finds the views he has expressed morally repugnant, and he did not derive them in any way from us,” they wrote.

“We love our son very much and are doing everything we can to counter the online influences that have afflicted him.”

Speaking afterward, Franco disputed his parents’ explanation, insisting his beliefs were shaped by personal experiences rather than internet content.

“I can’t peer inside their minds and they can’t peer inside mine, but it’s not a result of just being online. I’ve had in-person experiences as well,” he said.

He argued that blaming the internet for his opinions is no different than criticizing someone for reading a newspaper.

“All the internet is, is essentially an extension of prior means of communication, what used to be the printing press.

“It’s like if my parents … were like, ‘Oh boy, he’s always reading the newspaper, he’s getting all these terrible ideas from the newspaper.’ When you say that, it sounds completely ridiculous, right?”

Asked how he felt about being forced to leave home, Franco offered only a brief response.

“I’m not sure if I have a good answer for that.”

He said he plans to move into an apartment near Cornell’s campus in Ithaca.

The controversy began after Franco sent an antisemitic message through the Handshake employment platform to the Jewish co-founders of VryfID, Gabe and Aiden Einhorn, explaining that he would not interview because he did not want to work for Jewish employers. Since then, he has continued publicly defending his views.

Dr. Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist and author who has written extensively on terrorism, said Franco reflects a broader trend in which antisemitism is increasingly being worn as a badge of honor by some extremists.

“Anti-semitism has not only become mainstream, it’s become something to be proud of for some,” she said. “People like Austin Franco see themselves as martyrs for the cause.”

Franco, however, maintained that he has done nothing wrong and argued that his comments fall within his right to free expression.

“People may say things that are unkind, but they have the right to say it,” he said. “It would be illegal for an employer to say, ‘I’m not going to hire you because you are white.’ It would not be illegal for an employee to say, ‘I’m not going to work for you because you’re white.’”

Earlier this week, Franco appeared on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” where Morgan sharply criticized him during a contentious interview, calling him “thick” and “arrogant.”

Reflecting on the exchange, Franco claimed Morgan’s reaction demonstrated that the broadcaster believed he was losing the debate.

“That indicated to me that he realized I was making him look bad,” Franco said.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff publicly condemned Franco’s remarks while emphasizing that the university remains committed to protecting free speech, even when the views expressed are offensive.

“As a university built on the solid foundations of our nation’s democratic freedoms, Cornell has an obligation to fiercely defend freedom of speech — even when we find that speech abhorrent,” he wrote.

Despite the backlash, Franco said he has no concerns about returning to Cornell. Although he hopes to pursue a career in politics after graduation, he said he does not identify with any particular political party.

“If you don’t want to talk with me or engage with me, you’re totally welcome and within your rights to do that, just as I have the freedom to associate with who I want to with respect to work,” he said.

{Matzav.com}