By Howie Silbiger
A report published this week by The Guardian has sent a jolt through Jewish communities on both sides of the Atlantic, claiming that the administration of US president Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of offering asylum to Jews from the United Kingdom amid rising antisemitism.
The Guardian’s reporting is based on comments given to The Telegraph by Robert Garson, described as Trump’s personal lawyer and a member of the US Holocaust Memorial Council. Garson said he has spoken with the US State Department about the idea and claimed that Britain is no longer a safe place for Jews. He blamed the political climate in the UK and pointed directly at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing his government of failing to confront antisemitism following the October 7 attacks and the wave of protests and incidents that followed.
There has been no official confirmation from the White House, the State Department, or US immigration authorities. The Guardian reports that requests for comment were not immediately answered. No policy announcement has been made, no eligibility criteria exist, and no mechanism has been outlined. At this point, the story rests on reported conversations and Garson’s public account of them, not on any formal decision by the Trump administration.
Garson cited violent incidents, including an Islamist attack on a synagogue in Manchester, and described what he sees as an atmosphere in which Jewish life in Britain is becoming increasingly untenable. He also argued that British Jews would integrate easily into American society, describing the community as highly educated and economically successful. That framing, particularly when contrasted with other migrant groups, has already drawn criticism for its tone and implications.
The legal reality behind the headline is more complicated than the political messaging suggests. In the United States, asylum is generally available only to individuals who are already on US soil or who apply at a port of entry. It is not a status that can simply be extended to people living abroad. A separate refugee resettlement system applies to people outside the country and operates under annual caps and extensive screening. Turning talk of asylum for UK Jews into an actual policy would require a significant shift in law and practice, something that has not occurred and has not been publicly proposed.
Where the Guardian report does align with established facts is in its description of growing fear among British Jews. The article cites data from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, showing a sharp rise in the number of Jews who say they feel unsafe. In 2025, 35 percent of British Jews reported feeling unsafe, compared to just 9 percent two years earlier. Nearly half now say antisemitism is a very big problem, a dramatic increase from a decade ago.
Those figures reflect what many British Jewish organizations and community leaders have been warning about for months. Antisemitic incidents have surged, intimidation has become more visible, and Jewish concerns are often softened or reframed within broader political language that avoids confronting antisemitism directly.
At this stage, there is no US asylum program for British Jews, and there may never be one. The Guardian itself is careful to describe the situation as reported discussions rather than confirmed policy. Still, the fact that such an idea is being openly discussed is itself a marker of how far things have shifted.
The notion that Jews in the United Kingdom might look to the United States for protection would have sounded implausible not long ago. Today, it reflects a deep erosion of confidence and a growing sense among British Jews that the ground beneath them no longer feels secure. Whether this story fades or develops further, the fear driving it is real, and it is already reshaping how Jews in Britain see their future.
Howie Silbiger is the host of The Howie Silbiger Show on Truetalkradio.com and Political Hitman on Israelnewstalkradio.com. He is the Editor-in-Chief of The Montreal Jewish News.
