Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Tuesday condemned pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism on college campuses across the country as “abhorrent.” 

“I think what’s happening on our campuses is abhorrent,” Cardona testified to a Senate Appropriations Committee panel. “Hate has no place on our campuses, and I’m very concerned with the reports of antisemitism.”

The Biden Cabinet official revealed that the Education Department has 137 open investigations into Title VI enforcement at higher education institutions related to such demonstrations, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin at colleges that receive federal funds.

Pressed by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cardona declined to say that any specific institutions were in jeopardy of having federal funds revoked but said they could be if any school “refuses to comply” with Title VI. 

“Being unsafe on campus is not going to be tolerated,” Cardona said. “We do not condone, and we definitely reject, any calls for genocide, or any calls for antisemitism or any antisemitism on campus.”

The Biden administration is seeking a $22 million increase for the purpose of hiring more investigators to conclude their open cases as part of next year’s education budget, according to Cardona. He maintained that given their current resources, the administration is adequately upholding Title VI. 

The White House has taken a largely hands-off approach to the protests, including those that have turned violent and led to mass arrests of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

Asked Monday whether the White House supported peaceful protesters being suspended or removed from schools, along with their more violent peers, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that determination is best left to the individual institutions.

“[I] got to be super, super mindful these are institutions, some of them are private, some of them are public, and it is up to their university leadership and colleges to make that decision,” she told reporters. “Not going to weigh in on that from here.”

Cardona said the Education Department did not have staff on the ground to witness events at Columbia University, the epicenter of demonstrations that included dozens of protesters early Tuesday morning forcibly taking control of a main school building. 

“There’s a big difference between peaceful, legitimate protests and what we’re talking about,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said. “Harassment, absolute intimidation — that cannot be allowed.”