USA: Screening for "anti-Semitic activities" as grounds for visa refusal

President Donald Trump's administration will immediately begin considering "anti-Semitic activity" on social media and physical harassment of Jewish people as grounds for denying immigration benefits, a federal agency announced Wednesday.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin monitoring the social media activity of immigrants applying for benefits, including those applying for lawful permanent resident status , foreign students , and individuals affiliated with educational institutions "linked to anti-Semitic activity ." These guidelines are effective immediately, the statement said.

The announcement follows a notice last month of the Department of Homeland Security's proposal to collect social media data from people applying for benefits such as green cards or citizenship to comply with an executive order by Trump. The public and federal agencies had until May 5 to comment.

Social Media Monitoring

The notice of proposal has raised concerns among immigration and free speech advocates because it appears to expand the government's social media surveillance to people already vetted and legally in the United States , not just those seeking entry. However, social media surveillance by immigration officials has been a practice for more than a decade, dating back to at least the second Obama administration and escalating during Trump's first term.

Wednesday's announcement did not specify what would be considered " anti-Semitism" or identify the educational institutions involved.

Since Mr. Trump took office, attempts to deport foreign-born students who have joined pro-Palestinian protests or expressed criticism of Israel have increased. Mahmoud Khalil , for example, was arrested last month and detained. The administration said it revoked his green card because his role in the campus protests amounted to anti-Semitic support for Hamas .

Terrorism

The agency said it would consider social media content that indicates "approval, adherence, promotion, or support of anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations, or other anti-Semitic activities as a negative factor" when reviewing applications for immigration benefits.

When describing extremists and foreign terrorists, USCIS refers to those who support "anti-Semitic terrorism, violent anti-Semitic ideologies, and anti-Semitic terrorist organizations ." It cites Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad , and Hezbollah .