The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that social media activity can now impact visa decisions. According to a statement from US immigration authorities, individuals posting content deemed anti-Semitic by the Trump administration may be denied visas or residency. DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin, said in a statement, “There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here.”
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram posts that can lead to rejection
According to USCIS, posts defined as anti-Semitic will include social media activity in support of militant groups classified by the United States as terrorists, including Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi insurgents.
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The US Citizenship and Immigration Services "will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting or supporting anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations or other anti-Semitic activity as a negative factor" in determining benefits, the statement said.
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The policy takes effect immediately and will apply to student visas and requests for permanent resident "Green Cards" to stay in the United States.
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The official statement comes after the Trump administration has in the last few weeks reportedly canceled the visas of hundreds of international students inside the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March that he has stripped visas for some 300 people and was doing so on a daily basis. Rubio said that non-US citizens do not have the same rights as Americans and that it was at his discretion, not that of judges, to issue or deny visas.
Facebook, Twitter or Instagram posts that can lead to rejection
According to USCIS, posts defined as anti-Semitic will include social media activity in support of militant groups classified by the United States as terrorists, including Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthi insurgents.
ALSO READ: US student visa status revoked? Legal options for international students, explained
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services "will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting or supporting anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations or other anti-Semitic activity as a negative factor" in determining benefits, the statement said.
ALSO READ: Harvard University says ‘routine review’ revealed five cases of visa revocations
The policy takes effect immediately and will apply to student visas and requests for permanent resident "Green Cards" to stay in the United States.
ALSO READ: US bill threatens work visa route for 3,00,000 Indian students, triggers panic
The official statement comes after the Trump administration has in the last few weeks reportedly canceled the visas of hundreds of international students inside the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March that he has stripped visas for some 300 people and was doing so on a daily basis. Rubio said that non-US citizens do not have the same rights as Americans and that it was at his discretion, not that of judges, to issue or deny visas.
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