City lawyers, department chiefs, and a representative from the Jewish community met with US Department of Justice officials at Boston City Hall Wednesday in advance of a meeting later this month between Mayor Michelle Wu and members of the federal government’s newly created antisemitism taskforce.
The task force notified leaders of four cities last month they wanted to “discuss their responses to antisemitism at schools and on college campuses” in Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles, a city spokesperson said.
The March 13 letter to Wu said, “we are aware of information alleging that schools in Boston have faced unacceptable incidents of antisemitic harassment and violence” and requested an in-person meeting to “discuss actions” the city is taking in Boston schools, including K-12 and post-secondary institutions.
The letter, signed by Lee Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general, proposed an April 23 meeting, with an advance site visit on Wednesday.
In Wu’s response on March 21, she affirmed the city’s committed stand against antisemitism in partnership with Greater Boston’s Jewish community.
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“Boston has one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in the United States, a source of pride and strength for our city and our region, and we stand firmly against antisemitism,” the letter said.
Wu also asked the taskforce to provide reports of Boston’s antisemitic incidents that it referred to in its letter “to help ensure that a meeting between the city and the division is productive.”
City representatives reiterated that request Wednesday.
“City officials, including the Law Department, met with DOJ representatives this afternoon and repeated our request for information on the Boston incidents referenced in the DOJ letter,” city spokesperson, Emma Pettit, said in a statement. “The City takes seriously its work to combat antisemitism and discrimination in all forms, and we deeply value our longstanding partnership with the Jewish community.”
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“We continue to seek information prior to accepting a meeting with the Task Force,” the city’s statement said.
Wu has not been one to back down from the Trump administration. She has been a featured speaker at recent protests, including at Sunday’s anti-Trump and anti-Elon Musk demonstration at City Hall Plaza.
Last month, at her first congressional appearance, she defended the city’s so-called sanctuary city policies. And earlier this week, Wu blasted President Trump’s immigration policies and recent detainment of international students in a radio appearance.
“We shouldn’t just think of this as ‘the problem for international students’ or the problem for ‘those people’ who might not have paperwork or documentation,” Wu told GBH on Tuesday during her monthly “Ask the Mayor” segment. “We’re at a point where we’re not sure if constitutional rights are being respected.”
On Wednesday, attorney Adam Cederbaum, who heads the city’s legal department, met with Kevin Jenkins, public engagement and outreach advisor for the US Department of Justice’s civil rights division, and Jeff Morrison, a veteran trial lawyer with the agency, according to an email exchange between Cederbaum and Jenkins.
“We are working on reviewing our records for specific incidents in the Boston area that we can discuss on the 23rd,” Jenkins wrote on Monday.
The purpose of Wednesday’s visit was “to meet with your team” and “to answer any questions, see the meeting location, secure parking, and any other advance logistics for our trip to Boston,” according to the emails.
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Joining Cederbaum on behalf of the city on Wednesday were Chief of Policy Mike Firestone and Sam Dinning, policy and strategic initiatives counsel. Jeremy Burton, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, was also scheduled to attend the meeting, the emails said.
Niki Griswold of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
Tonya Alanez can be reached at tonya.alanez@globe.com. Follow her @talanez.