In mid-January, senior figures in Washington signalled that the United States (US) is considering offering asylum to Jewish people from the United Kingdom (UK) because of growing concerns about antisemitism there, an idea that has drawn international attention and raised questions about the safety of minorities in Western democracies.

The discussions were made public this week by Robert Garson, a senior lawyer with close ties to the Trump administration. Garson, who also serves on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, said the issue has been raised with the US State Department and other officials.

Garson made clear why he believes this topic deserves consideration. “The UK is no longer a safe place for Jews,” he told The Telegraph, a prominent British newspaper. “I have spoken to the State Department as to whether the president should be offering British Jews asylum in the US.”

Asylum is protection offered by one country to people who fear persecution in their home country because of who they are or what they believe. The fact that it is being discussed for a wealthy, democratic, and close ally of the US highlights how seriously some American policymakers view the rise of antisemitism in Britain.

Garson did not stop there. He emphasised characteristics he saw as relevant to the discussion, describing the British Jewish community as “a highly educated community … that speaks English natively, that is educated, and doesn’t have a high proportion of criminals..

He even went further into the reasons he believes the situation has worsened, saying: “When I look at what is going on with Jews in Britain … I don’t believe … that there is a future for Jews in the United Kingdom. For me, that is particularly sad.”

Those comments reflect deep concern among some in Washington about a rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK following the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted in October 2023 and a terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester in October 2025. Antisemitism researchers and community security groups have documented elevated levels of antisemitic crime and threats, prompting intensified debate over how safe Jewish citizens feel.

British officials have rejected the notion that Britain is unsafe for Jews. They maintain that the UK remains a secure home for Jewish communities and that legal protections exist to combat hate crimes. Nonetheless, Jewish organisations in Britain have been reporting heightened anxiety and demand for private security measures at schools, synagogues, and community centres.

Critics of the idea argue that offering asylum selectively to one demographic from another democracy could have diplomatic repercussions and raise questions about consistency in the application of asylum policy. They also point out that no formal US government programme has yet been announced, and that asylum decisions are still subject to rigorous legal standards.