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Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026
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Trump Aides Say U.S. Has Discussed Offering Asylum to British Jews Amid Growing Antisemitism Concerns
Senior Trump adviser reveals exploratory talks with the U.S. State Department about potential refuge for Jewish Britons citing rising threats in the United Kingdom
Senior advisers to former U.S. President Donald Trump have revealed that the U.S. government has discussed the possibility of offering asylum to Jewish individuals living in the United Kingdom in response to what they describe as an increase in antisemitic incidents and threats.
Robert Garson, a personal lawyer to Mr. Trump and a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, said in a recent interview that he has raised the idea with officials at the U.S. State Department, arguing that some British Jews may be facing an environment that is ‘‘no longer safe.’’ Garson, who was born in Manchester and later relocated to the United States, cited events including an attack on a synagogue in Manchester and broader antisemitic sentiment following regional conflicts as part of his rationale for considering asylum options.
Garson characterised the British Jewish community as ‘‘highly educated’’ and fluent in English, suggesting that these factors would make them suitable candidates for refuge in the United States under traditional asylum criteria, which allow for protection on the basis of persecution or a fear of persecution due to religion or membership of a particular social group.
He said that he believed these discussions reflected genuine concern within parts of the U.S. administration, though no formal policy or official offer has been announced.
The Trump-era approach to immigration and asylum has been defined by significantly lower refugee admissions caps for two thousand twenty-six, raising questions about how any new asylum initiative might be reconciled with existing numerical limits and procedures.
The proposal has not been publicly adopted by the White House or confirmed by the State Department, and UK government sources have yet to comment on the matter.
Observers noted that granted asylum typically requires an individual to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution, and it remains unclear how such cases would be evaluated under current U.S. law.
The reported discussions nevertheless highlight ongoing transatlantic concern over antisemitism and its implications for minority communities in Western Europe and underscore the broader complexities of asylum policy amid evolving social and political pressures in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Robert Garson, a personal lawyer to Mr. Trump and a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, said in a recent interview that he has raised the idea with officials at the U.S. State Department, arguing that some British Jews may be facing an environment that is ‘‘no longer safe.’’ Garson, who was born in Manchester and later relocated to the United States, cited events including an attack on a synagogue in Manchester and broader antisemitic sentiment following regional conflicts as part of his rationale for considering asylum options.
Garson characterised the British Jewish community as ‘‘highly educated’’ and fluent in English, suggesting that these factors would make them suitable candidates for refuge in the United States under traditional asylum criteria, which allow for protection on the basis of persecution or a fear of persecution due to religion or membership of a particular social group.
He said that he believed these discussions reflected genuine concern within parts of the U.S. administration, though no formal policy or official offer has been announced.
The Trump-era approach to immigration and asylum has been defined by significantly lower refugee admissions caps for two thousand twenty-six, raising questions about how any new asylum initiative might be reconciled with existing numerical limits and procedures.
The proposal has not been publicly adopted by the White House or confirmed by the State Department, and UK government sources have yet to comment on the matter.
Observers noted that granted asylum typically requires an individual to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution, and it remains unclear how such cases would be evaluated under current U.S. law.
The reported discussions nevertheless highlight ongoing transatlantic concern over antisemitism and its implications for minority communities in Western Europe and underscore the broader complexities of asylum policy amid evolving social and political pressures in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
