US ramps up social media checks on visa applicants
The United States has begun monitoring the social media of foreigners applying for legal residency in the USA, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Officials are focusing on anti-Semitic content, raising concerns about what Washington means by this.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that it will check the social media activity of immigrants. The goal is to identify anti-Semitic content that may influence decisions regarding the granting of resident status.
Verification applies to foreigners applying for legal permanent resident status, international students, and individuals associated with educational institutions.
The discovery of anti-Semitic activity may result in the denial of immigration benefits. This decision aligns with Donald Trump's regulations that aim to "protecting the homeland from extremists."
Concerns regarding the Department of Homeland Security's announcement
The announcement immediately raised concerns, including how the USA will determine what constitutes support for anti-Semitic activities, and whether any criticism of Israel or its military actions in Gaza would suffice to bar someone from the country.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression criticizes these actions, suggesting that they may restrict freedom of speech.
"The spirit of Joseph McCarthy is alive and well in the Trump administration, which has spent months dishonestly mischaracterizing legitimate criticism of the Israeli government’s war crimes in Gaza as antisemitic, pursuing witch hunts into American colleges, and threatening the free speech rights of immigrants," said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy director of the 30-year-old Council on American-Islamic Relations, as quoted by Politico.
Meanwhile, the USA is revoking student visas and deporting students participating in protests against the war in the Gaza Strip.
