US to vet visa applicants' social media for "antisemitic" posts
U.S. immigration authorities announced on Wednesday that they will review social media accounts and deny visas or residence permits to individuals who have exhibited "antisemitic activity," including support for terrorist groups, online.
The announcement came as the Trump administration is pulling funding from universities and seeking the deportation of non-citizen students in the name of combating antisemitism, in the wake of widespread protests over the Gaza war that have often included open support for terror groups. The policies have drawn accusations of silencing protected speech, News.Az reports citing The Times of Israel.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for antisemitic violence and terrorism — think again. You are not welcome here,” department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services “will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor” in determining benefits, the statement said.
Posts defined as antisemitic will include statements of support for “violent antisemitic ideologies,” of which the statement did not provide examples, and antisemitic terrorist organizations,” for which it gave the examples of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
The policy will take effect immediately and apply to student visas and requests for permanent resident “green cards” to stay in the United States.
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