U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib blasted University of Michigan President Santa J. Ono for his ties to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and accused him of undermining free speech on campus in a letter obtained exclusively by Metro Times.
Tlaib — who was born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrants and is the only Palestinian American member of Congress — criticized Ono’s appearance at a recent ADL conference, calling the organization an “extremist group” with a “decades-long history of anti-Arab, anti-Muslim, and anti-Black racism.” She accused the ADL of spreading “racist disinformation” and smearing anti-Zionist Jewish protesters as antisemites while defending billionaire Elon Musk’s ties to white nationalists.
Earlier this month, the ADL held its “Never is Now” conference in New York City, billed as “the world’s largest summit on antisemitism and hate.”
The ADL has been accused of racism and surveillance of Black activists since the 1990s. The ADL has also faced growing criticism in recent years for labeling left-wing Jewish groups, Black Lives Matter, and Palestinian rights organizations as antisemitic. In addition, the group has pushed for federal antisemitism legislation, which critics argue is designed to silence left-wing Jewish activists and pro-Palestinian advocates.
Tlaib also condemned Ono for publicly denouncing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement as antisemetic, arguing that his comments revealed a “fundamental misunderstanding” of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and sent a chilling message to students and faculty who oppose Israeli policies.
Tlaib’s letter comes amid mounting criticism of the university’s response to pro-Palestinian activism. Over the past year, the University of Michigan has been accused of suppressing student protests, and the ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of students who were banned from campus after demonstrating in support of Palestinians. The bans, which restrict students’ access to university property, drew accusations of free speech violations.
Pro-Palestinian students and alumni also filed a federal lawsuit against the university in December, alleging the school violated their constitutional rights to free speech, due process, and equal protection by silencing them.
Tlaib questioned whether Ono’s actions violated the university’s new policy of institutional neutrality, pointing out that he spoke at the ADL event in his official capacity as university president. She also pressed him on whether the university would collaborate with the Trump administration to target pro-Palestinian students, referencing Trump’s vow to arrest, prosecute, and deport activists.
“Does this speech-suppressing policy only apply to people who speak out against genocide?” Tlaib asked in the letter. “Will you be holding other university leaders to a different standard than you hold yourself? I welcome an explanation.”
Ono has not yet responded to Tlaib. The letter was sent Monday.
