Restrictions on freedom of speech and academic freedom
The passage of the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act poses a threat to free speech and academic freedom in American society. The bill requires the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism when enforcing anti-discrimination laws. This broad definition may cause some normal criticism and discussion to be mistakenly classified as anti-Semitic behavior, and thus be suppressed and restricted. This trend not only limits freedom of expression but also hinders the free development of academic research.