Discussions are reportedly taking place within Donald Trump's administration about the United States potentially offering asylum to Jewish people from the United Kingdom. The revelation comes from the president's personal lawyer, who claims the UK is no longer a safe environment for the Jewish community.
Lawyer Points to Rising Threat in Britain
Robert Garson, a 49-year-old former British barrister now acting as Donald Trump's lawyer, told The Telegraph he has spoken with the US State Department about creating a refuge for British Jews leaving the UK due to escalating antisemitism. Garson, who relocated to the US in 2008, stated he feels the UK is "no longer a safe place for Jews".
He cited specific events that shaped his view, including an Islamist attack on a synagogue in Manchester and what he described as widespread antisemitism following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Garson argued that mass demonstrations in Britain against Israel's military response in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians were killed, have been cast by some Israel supporters as motivated by antisemitism.
Community Safety in Sharp Decline
Garson's concerns appear to be reflected in recent survey data. A 2025 study by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research found a dramatic shift in perceptions of safety within the UK's Jewish community. It revealed that 35% of Jews felt unsafe in Britain in 2025, a stark increase from just 9% in 2023, before the Hamas attacks and subsequent protests.
Furthermore, the perceived severity of antisemitism has intensified. The survey indicated that 47% of British Jews now see it as a "very big" problem, compared to only 11% in 2012.
In his interview, Garson placed significant blame on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of allowing antisemitism to grow and stating he could see "no future" for Jews in the UK. He promoted the idea of US asylum by describing British Jews as a "highly educated community" that speaks English natively and has a low proportion of criminals.
Administration Context and Contradictions
Garson said he raised the idea of the US acting as a refuge with Yehuda Kaploun, Trump's special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. This discussion occurred in Garson's capacity as a board member of the US Holocaust Memorial Council, a position he was appointed to by Trump in May 2025 after the dismissal of Biden-era appointees.
This reported consideration occurs against a contradictory policy backdrop. In October 2025, the Trump administration announced plans to restrict the number of refugees admitted into the US in 2026 to just 7,500, with those spots mostly reserved for white South Africans. It remains unclear how British Jews would factor into this limited quota should the asylum plan proceed.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports. Garson, whom Trump previously hired to pursue a lawsuit against journalist Bob Woodward, concluded by saying the situation in Britain was "particularly sad."
