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Tequila Tourism: Mexico’s Next Vacation Boom

Over the last two decades the tequila industry has quietly grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Shipments to wholesalers in the US are closing in on $2.5 billion dollars in turnover. Tequila consumption is now spreading around the world, not only in historic markets like France, Germany Spain and the UK but especially in nontraditional markets like Japan. China and Taiwan. 

There is another boom starting to gather steam however, one that in time may grow to be as big for Mexico as the value of the tequila produced itself: tequila tourism. The tequila producing zone in Mexico consists of the state of Jalisco plus specific delineated areas in the states of Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas. From a practical standpoint, more than 90% of Mexican tequila production occurs within a 50-mile radius of the town of Tequila in Jalisco state. 

Historically, its storied history notwithstanding, tourism was not a prominent feature of the tequila area. Neighboring Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city and its financial and industrial capital, is only 32 miles away from the town of Tequila, the heart of the tequila producing zone. The roads connecting the two cities however are mostly two lane highways, prone to traffic jams and congestion. The 32-mile distance can often take one to two hours to traverse by car. Moreover, the region was poorly served by hotels and generally lacked the infrastructure typical of a developing tourist area.

In the last decade, however, tourism in the tequila region has started to blossom. Between 2006 and 2016, tourist visits to the region increased from around 200,000 visitors to approximately 1.4 million visitors. Approximately 70% of those visitors were Mexican nationals, many from Guadalajara out for the day while the balance were foreigners, mostly American. 

The significant increase in Mexican visitors is notable because it mirrors an equally important shift in Mexican attitudes towards tequila. Tequila has always been deeply woven in Mexican life and culture. It is the quintessential Mexican drink; an icon which symbolizes, like the Mexican character, a fusion of Meso-American and Spanish culture. Over the last two decades, tequila has increasingly become the aspirational drink of Mexico’s rising middle class. Where once Cognac or Mexican brandy would have been the first choice of Mexico’s growing middle class, today it is increasingly finely crafted tequilas. This trend has been especially notable among Mexican women, especially Mexican millennials, who have embraced tequila as a drink that both distinguishes them from their parents while reaffirming their Mexican roots.

The  Ruta del Tequila , a UNESCO recognized world heritage site, is a road network that connects Guadalajara with the towns of Magdalena, Tequila, Amatitán, Arenal, Teuchitlán, Ahualulco, Etzatlán and San Juanito. The eight towns surround the Tequila volcano, the geologic heart of the tequila zone, and span both the lowlands and highlands of Jalisco. About 130,000 visitors traverse the  Ruta del Tequila  each year. In addition to connecting the principal tequila production centers of Jalisco, the  Ruta  has become a cultural and increasingly gastronomic destination as well as a venue for various tequila themed festivals and events. 

In addition, in 1997, the Tequila Express was launched. The train service connects Guadalajara to the Tequila Herradura distillery at the San Jose del Refugio Hacienda in the municipality of Amatitán. The train is called the Tequila Express because it features on-board tequila tastings and a mariachi band as it traverses Jalisco’s blue agave fields. Upon reaching the Herradura distillery, participants receive a tour of the distillery and the hacienda as well as a dinner at the Hacienda Herradura. The service only operates on weekends and on occasion on Monday as well. The train journey from Guadalajara usually last from 2 to 3 hours and costs around $95 to $115 per person depending on the class of service.

The train experience has proven to be so popular that Jose Cuervo and Patron have both organizing their own versions of the Tequila Express. The Jose Cuervo Express travels from Guadalajara to Cuervo’s  La Rojena  distillery in the town of Tequila. The journey offers traditional Mexican cuisine paired on board with tequilas from Jose Cuervo. There is also a tasting guided by a  Maestro Tequilero , a tour of the distillery and a Mexican mariachi show. The tour ends with a toast of Cuervo’s top of the line  Reserva de la Familia . The train runs every Saturday and runs about $100/person.

Patron has also launched its own version of the Tequila Express utilizing a meticulously restored 1927 vintage rail car that in the past hosted luminaries like President Franklin Roosevelt and Clark Gable. The 85-foot train car is equipped with a gourmet kitchen, dining room and three staterooms and an observation room. The car is pulled by an Amtrak locomotive and can travel anywhere on the railroads 21,000 miles of track. It is used primarily for Patron related promotional events and is available by invitation only to friends of the distillery. 

The town pf tequila has been designated a  pueblo magico , a magic city, by the government of Mexico and has been earmarked for aggressive tourism related development. Moreover, it has been designated as Mexico’s first  pueblo magico inteligente . In collaboration with the National Geographic Society and Mondo Cuervo, the Mexican government intends to make the town of Tequila the first completely interactive tourist destination. 

Additionally, the state of Jalisco has proposed to spend over $5 million dollars in various infrastructure related road improvements. More significantly, the Cuervo Foundation, a philanthropic organization created by tequila maker Casa Cuervo, has announced plans to invest US $200 million in a five-star hotel, a convention center, cultural center, commercial area, cable car system and various real estate projects. 

The next big wave of tequila related tourism however will come from improving road links between the tequila area and the booming tourism industry in Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit. The region which encompasses the city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco state as well as the portion of Banderas Bay to the north in Nayarit state along with the towns of Compostela, San Blas and the Riviera Nayarit received over 7 million tourists in 2016.

By nationality, roughly 70% of those tourists where Mexican nationals and the balance were foreigners. Foreign tourists however tend to stay longer however, so when measured by room nights, the mix of Mexican nationals to foreigners was about 50-50. Foreigners are the overwhelming majority during the winter months while Mexicans dominate the rest of the year.

Historically, the tequila region was a 4 to 5-hour drive from Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit. Visits to the area would have required an overnight stay in Tequila or one of the adjacent towns on the  Ruta de Tequila . The lack of hotel rooms in the area was a hugely limiting factor. 

All that is about to change with the inauguration of the new Nayarit Interstate highway. The highway will connect the Nayarit Riviera with Tequila, shortening the drive to approximately 2 hours. The new highway has been designated a “presidential project” meaning that it was initiated and is slated for completion during the term of the current president, Enrique Peña Neto. Peña assumed office on December 1st, 2012 and will step down in 2018. The highway project is expected to be completed in late 2018 or early 2019. 

Tourism represents half of the economic activity of Puerto Vallarta and the Nayarit Riviera, so not surprisingly the tourism industry has been quick to seize the opportunity of tequila related tourism. Scores of travel companies have announced plans to offer day trips to Tequila and the surrounding region once the new highway is open. The town of Tequila itself hosts seven distilleries, among them well known producers such as Sauza, Cuervo and Orendain. 

Hotels also, especially those hotels along the Nayarit Riviera, which are ideally positioned to capitalize on the new road links, have moved to capitalize on the expected tequila related tourism boom. The Punta Mita Four Seasons Resort for example already offers its guests upscale trips to the tequila region as well as classes in blending tequila under the direction of a Master  Tequilero . Guests blend their own tequila and can take home a bottle one of a kind custom tequila.

The Four Seasons is a poster child for the Riviera Nayarit, perched on Punta Mita, just 40 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta airport. It is surrounded by the white sand beaches and the turquoise waters that have made the Riviera Nayarit a tourist destination. The hotel itself sits at the end of a peninsula that juts out into Banderas Bay. The area is famous for its hotels, upscale homes and, Jack Nicklaus designed Signature Golf Courses. Forbes called Punta Mita “the secret retreat of the world top tech billionaires”. In addition to the Four Seasons, the area hosts 10 other luxury hotels, including a St Regis. 

Punta Mita figured prominently in Aztec mythology as the gateway to heaven. The name Punta Mita comes from the Aztec word  mictlan  which means “gateway to paradise” On occasion, a still unexplained meteorological phenomenon gives the impression of a town far out at sea perched on the horizon. The Aztecs believed that town to be Paradise and Punta Mita its gateway.

For hotels like the Punta Mita Four Seasons Resort, tequila related tourism offers an important new source of guests. According to John O’Sullivan, the General Manager of the Punta Mita Four Seasons, the Resort is moving aggressively to take advantage of the burgeoning interest in tequila. 

“We already carry 200 varieties of tequila in our resort and we are planning to expand our selection even more so we can well afford our guests the opportunity to taste Mexico’s finest tequilas. In addition to offering other tequila related classes and barrel sampling from our very own tequila cellar for our guests we also work with Vallarta Adventures to facilitate day trips to Tequila.”

The hotel already offers “The Ultimate Tequila Tour”, a one day trip by private helicopter to the Jose Cuervo distillery for a private tour, tasting and gourmet lunch prepared by a Four Seasons chef. On returning, guests are whisked to the hotels private tequila cellar to savor a “top of the line aged tequila served straight from the barrel” with still enough time to catch the breathtaking sunset on the beach.

There is one other little known bonus to tequila tourism. The larger distilleries all have gift stores where they sell the range of tequilas they produce. Prices are typically two thirds to three quarters less than the retail prices in the US. If you are serious about stocking your home with the world’s top of the line tequilas, a trip to Jalisco’s tequila region could be largely self-financing. 

It’s difficult to estimate the full economic impact of tequila related tourism because currently most visits are add- ons to other destinations. Tourist officials estimate that presently tequila related tourism is contributing around $100 million dollars to Jalisco’s economy. A fraction to the economic output produced by its tequila producers. Tequila tourism is set to grow dramatically however and it is not inconceivable that, in time, it may become as important as the tequila industry itself.

By Joseph V. Micallef

Joseph V. Micallef is a judge and commentator on food, wines, spirits and travel. He is also a historian, best-selling author, keynote speaker and syndicated columnist As a journalist and former war correspondent he has written on an eclectic mix of topics from wines, spirits and travel, to military history and world affairs. For 30+ years he was the CEO and Senior Producer of a media company. 

Joe has also been a judge for a variety of international wines and spirits competitions, including the International Wines and Spirits Competition, World Drinks Awards, World Whisky Awards, San Francisco International Wine Competition, American Distilling Institute Craft Spirits Awards, and the Irish Whiskey Awards. Along with judging, he spends his spare time making wine in Oregon.

He holds the Diploma in Wines and Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (London). He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Council of Whiskey Masters. The Advisory Board’s two dozen members are widely considered the leading experts on whisky in the world.

He has spoken at a variety of professional venues, including the Institute of Strategic Studies (London), the NATO Defense College (Rome), the World Future Society and a large number of universities, military and other organizations on a variety of topics dealing with military and current affairs. He has also appeared as a commentator on a variety of cable news networks.

His recent books include, Scotch Whisky: It’s History, Production and Appreciation , Understanding World War I: A Concise History (part of a 12 episode made for television documentary), and Islamic State: Its History, Ideology and Challenge . Additional books on Tequila and on Italian Wines are forthcoming.

He has written, directed, and produced dozens of documentaries on military history and current affairs.

Joe is also an opinion columnist for The Epoch Times where he writes about national security and international affairs, and a contributor to Forbes where he writes about wines, spirits and travel to the dusty corners of the world. In addition to writing, he is also the International Editor for the Irish Whiskey Magazine.

He has spent more than 20 years judging wines and spirits and lecturing and writing about them, and looks forward to many more. Grab a drink with him at the bar if you have the chance – suffice to say, he's not your average Joe. 

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A Gen Xer who got $250,000 in student loans forgiven said he can now finally start saving for retirement — and consider his dream of studying in India

• Joel Lambdin, 49, received $250,000 in student-loan forgiveness in January.
• It's a result of the Education Department's one-time account adjustments.
• Lambdin said the relief would allow him to save for retirement and consider long-term dreams.

Joel Lambdin finished graduate school in 1998 — but as a professional musician, he was hardly making enough money to pay off his student loans and other bills.

So Lambdin, now 49, said his only option to make ends meet was to put his student loans in forbearance — in which he was not making payments but interest was still accumulating .

"It was just so that I could subsist, so that I could survive," Lambdin told Business Insider. "With the hope that at some point, I would be making enough money that I would be able to take them out of forbearance and start paying them down."

But he grew to realize that the only way he could make a significant dent in his student loans was by switching careers. He didn't want to do that because he loved working in music, so he decided to keep his larger student loan in forbearance and begin paying off his smaller loan with a lower monthly payment.

He continued making those payments until the pandemic pause on student-loan payments , at which point he and his wife started making a plan of action to tackle the larger debt once the pause ended. That led them to discover the Education Department's initiative allowing some borrowers a one-time account adjustment . It lets the department evaluate borrowers' accounts and update payment progress toward forgiveness on income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, including any payments made during a forbearance period.

That account adjustment led to a letter Lambdin received on January 31, reviewed by BI, from his student-loan servicer Aidvantage. It said: "Congratulations! The Biden-Harris Administration has forgiven your federal student loan(s) listed below with Aidvantage in full."

For Lambdin, that letter meant his $249,255 outstanding student-loan balance was effectively wiped out.

"It had started to feel like my fate was being decided for me by the cold hand of finance," Lambdin said, "and that was a weight that I didn't realize was there until it wasn't there."

He added: "The feeling was much more like putting down a backpack that was really full of books that you got used to. And then you put it down, and you're like, 'Oh, man, that feels so much better.' It's more like that, rather than sort of a jump-for-joy kind of situation."

While Lambdin is still working to determine what exactly the relief will mean for him and his wife, he said, discussing retirement is "a much more present conversation now" because contributing to savings is viable after the relief. He can also begin to look into buying a home.

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The Education Department continues to cancel student debt through its one-time account adjustments, a process it plans to complete this summer. Most recently, the department wiped out $7.4 billion in student debt for 277,000 borrowers , some of whom benefited from the adjustments.

Beyond financial goals, Lambdin said the relief was also allowing him the freedom to pursue some of his long-term dreams, including taking a sabbatical to study with his meditation teacher in India.

"It's something that I wouldn't have been able to even consider doing if we had to pay off student loans, but without them, it's something that I can really seriously consider doing," he said. "And so those are the kinds of things that I think get really lost in the monetary side of the conversation about debt relief."

'I've been really lucky'

While Lambdin said he felt as though he earned the relief given his decades of payments, he recognized that it's not that easy for many other borrowers.

For example, as BI has previously reported , some borrowers who might qualify for relief through different repayment programs may not have gotten it yet because of paperwork backlogs and administrative errors. On top of that, funding for federal student-loan servicers is strained — meaning many borrowers face hourslong hold times and cannot get clear answers from customer service regarding their payment progress.

"There are some real horror stories out there, and I've been really lucky in that I haven't experienced the kinds of shenanigans that other people have experienced," Lambdin said. "So I actually feel very lucky that things have transpired the way they have."

Some of those horror stories include inaccurate payment projections and delayed billing statements . When it comes to student-loan forgiveness, some borrowers told BI that their servicer made a mistake with the forgiveness , reinstating their payments months later.

The Education Department has said it's aware of the challenges borrowers face and has established an accountability framework to punish servicers when they fail to fulfill their contractual obligations.

The department is also in the process of crafting its new plan for student-loan forgiveness — it recently released the draft text of the rules , which included relief for borrowers with unpaid interest and those who have been in repayment for at least 20 years.

As for Lambdin, he's still figuring out how to approach life without student debt hanging over his head. But now he can consider various options, and he can thank the loan forgiveness for that freedom.

"There's a certain amount of waiting for the other shoe to drop because it's not that I don't trust that it's happening but just that the debt has been with me for so long, and then it's not there," Lambdin said. "And it's something that I think really takes some getting used to."

Watch: Biden announces who can have $10,000 erased in student loans

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France's foreign minister looks to prevent Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalation in Lebanon visit

France's foreign minister will push proposals to prevent further escalation and a potential war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah during a visit to Lebanon on Sunday as Paris seeks to refine a roadmap that both sides could accept to ease tensions.

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April 22, 2024 - Protests at Columbia and other schools escalate

Matt Egan, Alicia Wallace and Chandelis Duster

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says it is 'determining next steps'

From CNN's Jillian Sykes

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology issued a statement Monday regarding tents on its campus.

"MIT officials are aware of the tents, and are determining next steps with a focus on ensuring campus is physically safe and fully functioning. MIT Police were on scene throughout the night and will continue to be present."

Robert Kraft says he is willing to support The Kraft Center at the university

From CNN's Chandelis Duster

Robert Kraft, billionaire owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots and backer of Columbia University, on Monday said he is still willing to support The Kraft Center at the school that supports Jewish students, calling it “a haven of safety.”

Kraft, an alumnus of the university, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead” that he loves the school and “we have to have accountability.”

“There are both professors and students within the university who say things that I think cross the line and there should be accountability. I believe in free speech. Say whatever you want but pay the consequences. And don't have your face covered. I don't think that should be allowed,” he said.  

“I can’t believe in New York City at Columbia University Jewish students are afraid to go to classes in the United States of America in 2024. It’s amazing to me and horrible,” Kraft also said.

Asked where he drew the line at Columbia University regarding both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests and what he finds objectionable, he said “there is a lack of education on the situation” happening in the Middle East. 

“I’m concerned about America and what’s going on in this country. And to keep it open and free for all people of all backgrounds to do as they wish,” he said.

Asked if he has confidence in Columbia University’s president, Minouche Shafik, he said he thinks she is “very well intentioned” and said “we have to look at what goes on with faculty.”

Columbia faculty stage walk-out in solidarity with students

From CNN's John Towfighi

Hundreds of people gathered on Low Plaza Monday afternoon as Columbia University faculty delivered speeches in support of the student protesters who were suspended and arrested Thursday.

Faculty who spoke denounced university president Minouche Shafik’s decision to authorize the New York Police Department to remove protesters from campus and demanded all legal and disciplinary charges be dismissed and expunged from students' records.

Faculty held signs that read, “Hands off our students,” and “End student suspensions now.” Some faculty donned their academic regalia and wore sashes that read, “We support students.”

Speeches were met with cheers and claps from the crowd, as well as chants for Shafik to resign.

Christopher Brown, a professor of history, said, “I’m here because I am so concerned about what is happening at this university, with where we are now and with where we are going. Thursday April 18, 2024, will be remembered as a shameful day in Columbia history.”

“The president’s decision to send riot police to pick up peaceful protesters on our campus was unprecedented, unjustified, disproportionate, divisive and dangerous,” Brown said.

US Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose daughter Isra Hirsi was among the protesters arrested Thursday , posted on X that while she’s glad to see faculty demonstrate in solidarity with students, she wants the protests to focus on Gaza.

"On Thursday, Columbia arrested and suspended its students who were peacefully protesting and have now ignited a nationwide Gaza Solidarity movement. This is more than the students hoped for and I am glad to see this type of solidarity. But to be clear, this about the genocide in Gaza and the attention has to remain on that," Omar wrote.

NYC Mayor condemns "vile" and "disgusting" rhetoric at college campuses

From CNN's Alicia Wallace

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Monday condemned “vile” and “disgusting” rhetoric being used at campuses such as Columbia University, where students are holding protests over the Israel-Hamas War.

Adams told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he supports First Amendment rights but said law enforcement officials are on the ready if any of that speech goes too far or if there’s an imminent threat to people or property.

"That is one of the fundamental rights we hold dear as Americans: The right to protest," Adams said on CNN's "The Lead." "What we have seen playing out on many of our college campuses, and particularly Columbia University, is hate. We’re seeing vile language being used."

Adams noted that he can feel the "duality of this moment" and how the events of the past six months are weighing heavily on Jewish and Palestinian New Yorkers. He added that the police escorts of Jewish students through campus were reminiscent of the Army soldiers who escorted nine Black students into a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, nearly 67 years ago.

"There is no place for hate in this city," he said.

New York Police Department officers have a “large presence” surrounding Columbia but have remained off the campus grounds at the request of the school’s administration, NYPD deputy commissioners said earlier on Monday.

Adams told Tapper that the NYPD’s commissioner of legal matter is monitoring the protests for any speech that violates law. Additionally, police officers will take "appropriate action" and go on private property if there’s an "imminent threat."

Protesters gather at The New School in New York City

From CNN's Elisabeth Buchwald

Protesters have gathered at The New School, located near the Chelsea area of the New York City borough of Manhattan.

An encampment of four tents was set up in the lobby of the building that houses auditoriums, a cafeteria and a library. Roughly 75 students, and other people who have The New School IDs, gathered inside the building.

"Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not stop, we will not rest," was repeatedly chanted. 

Outside the building, protesters from the school, as well as outsiders, joined in chants from the sidewalk.

There is a stark difference between the inside and outside of Columbia University's campus

From CNN's Ramishah Maruf

There’s a stark difference between the inside of Columbia University's campus and the outside, where there are protesters gathered on the street. 

The encampment is only open to those affiliated with campus. Only those with a Columbia ID can enter the campus gates. Inside the encampment, programs include teach-ins, poetry readings and film screenings. Some students are quietly finishing assignments, while others are painting posters.

Elsewhere around campus, students are eating and completing assignments. Many students take graduation pictures at this time, and some are in graduation gowns walking down Broadway. Risers are set up for an upcoming commencement ceremony.

Other students are holding large American flags underneath Butler Library.

But the students can still hear the tension that is taking place yards away at the university gates. There is a gathering of pro-Palestinian protesters, who in the early afternoon were chanting “I believe that we will win” and “Long Live the Intifada.” There was a smaller group of pro-Israeli protesters, who chanted back “Down with Hamas” and “Victory to Israel.” A line of New York Police officers were monitoring the street.

What it's like inside the Columbia University encampment

The inside of the encampment is quiet – most of the noise comes from protestors outside the gates of Columbia University's campus, who are chanting “I believe that we will win” and “Long live the Intifada."

It was a sunny day on campus, and in one corner, students were painting posters. One person strummed a stringed instrument, and other students are reading books or on their laptops finishing assignments. Others have donated provisions, ranging from a table of snacks to hygiene products. There was also a pile of blankets.

“We’ve just been trying to keep students mobilized and keep pushing for divestment,” Dalia, a first-year student at Columbia College, told CNN. “We are a very mobilized student body and a very unified student body. Hundreds of people have been in and out of the encampment.”

CNN agreed not to publish her surname due to safety concerns.

She said the students at the campus “refuse to be complicit in the genocide, the apartheid, and the occupation of Palestine.”

There are strict community guidelines for the encampment. One rule says not to share names or details of anyone met in camp, and asking for permission before photographing or taking video.

The encampment is filled with dozens and dozens of tents, from students to neighboring Barnard College staff. Today’s encampment program included an Earth Day performance, poetry reading and a Dabka lesson, a traditional dance from the Arab region. Prior program events included dance performances from different cultures.

Democratic House members tour Columbia campus

Democratic Reps. Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Dan Goldman of New York and Kathy Manning of North Carolina, who are all Jewish, spoke at a news conference Monday after touring Columbia University’s campus. 

"We saw it firsthand as we walked past the encampments on the university's main lawn full of protesters spewing incendiary antisemitic hate and vitriol. Many aren't even Columbia students I've been told. Their campaign of intimidation is sickening and shocking and as the White House said yesterday, ‘echoes the rhetoric of Hamas terrorists,'" Gottheimer said. 

He also criticized Columbia University leadership, saying, “toothless combinations from administrators aren't going to stop the anarchy we’re seeing.”

“The only way to do it is with deeds, not words,” Gottheimer said. “Colleges have a legal obligation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to provide students, including Jews and Muslims, a school environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race color or national origin. Yet just feet from here, Jewish students are being verbally and even physically assaulted.”

Gottheimer continued, “To the administrators of Columbia and beyond, here are our demands: Stop the double talk and start acting now. Discipline harassers, restore civility on this campus, encourage peaceful constructive dialogue.”

He also gave a message for students: “While the leadership of Columbia may be failing you, we will not. We will do everything in our power to keep you safe and do everything in Washington we can to make sure that you feel welcome at this university or any university across the United States of America. And Columbia University, if they don't follow through, will pay the price.”

Goldman said he was "encouraged" the Columbia University president issued guidelines about additional security, calling it a "very important first step" and criticized what is happening on campus.

"That is unacceptable for a university, that is unacceptable for an academic institution. There is no question that everyone has a First Amendment right to speak out in this country and that must be preserved," Goldman said. "But a university and all universities have an obligation to maintain the safety and security of their students from all backgrounds."

Manning said university leadership should "do more to keep Jewish students safe and to re-establish an atmosphere in which all students can learn, study and participate safely in campus life."

"Columbia must also move forward with its promised efforts to teach its students and its faculty about the nature and history and dangers of antisemitism. It must ensure that Columbia professors are not encouraging and spreading antisemitism," Manning said.

"I call on the US Department of Education and the US Department of Justice to work with the White House to ensure that all universities take steps necessary to keep Jewish students and faculty safe. I also call on Congress to enact legislation to implement the steps outlined in the US national strategy to counter antisemitism, to address the scourge of antisemitism which is a threat to the foundations of our democracy," she said.

President Joe Biden condemns antisemitism on campus

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

President Joe Biden decried antisemitic protests around college campuses Monday and said his administration was working to combat anti-Jewish hatred.

"I condemn the antisemitic protests, that’s why I’ve set up a program to deal with that," Biden said when questioned about the events at Columbia University in New York.

"I also condemn those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians," he said, without expanding upon what he meant.

Biden was speaking after an Earth Day event in Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Virginia.

When asked whether Columbia's president should resign, Biden appeared to mishear: "I didn’t know that. I'll have to find out more," he said.

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