The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can now ask applicants for immigration-related benefits to disclose their social media handles under a new proposal. Which means, your posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and  Instagram could get your US visa rejected or revoked. Yes, you heard that right. The proposed measure, as per USCIS notification on March 5, will affect applications for American citizenship, asylum, and green cards. 

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This comes in the wake of executive order signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025, to strengthen national security and vetting standards. The Executive Order 14161 directs agencies to tighten immigration screening 

Screening of online activity

The immigration agency while deciding visa applications will treat online activity supporting organisations or causes considered anti-Semitic by the Trump administration as a red flag. Notably, the USCIS will not seek passwords but only monitor online activity as part of the vetting process.

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"social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting or supporting anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organisations or other anti-Semitic activity” would be scrutinised, said USCIS in a statement released by them.

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Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also reiterated the stance by saying, "There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathisers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here."

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The Department of Homeland Security has set a 60-day window for inviting public comments on the new data collection process.

Student visa holders as well as applicants for permanent residency will have to undergo the procedure that comes into effect immediately.

Social media vetting for immigration purpose has been expanding since 2014. By 2019 the US Department of State had begun collecting social media information of about 15 million people annually, according to reports.