Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK USCIS officials, the federal agency responsible for immigration management and oversight, announce that they will review the social media accounts of foreign citizens, and the agency is expected to deny visa or permanent residency applications for individuals who have posted social media content supporting "anti-Semitic terror".
USCIS notes that posts considered anti-Semitic on social media are those that show support for militant groups recognized as terrorist organizations by the U.S., including: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
The agency stated that they will view social media content in which a person proposes, promotes, or supports anti-Semitic terror, terrorist organizations, or any other anti-Semitic activity as a harmful factor preventing immigration benefits.
The new policy will take effect immediately and applies to student visa applications and green card applications for permanent residency to live in the United States.
In this regard, it is worth noting that Donald Trump ran his presidential campaign on a commitment to strengthen immigration policy, and since taking office in January, Trump has expanded the rapid deportation process for undocumented immigrants. He has also declared a national emergency, allowing the use of military forces to secure the border. Additionally, his administration is increasing the capacity of detention facilities to hold up to 30,000 immigrants.
In the new regulation, the Trump administration specifically targets foreign students involved in anti-Israel protests on college campuses in the U.S. as part of his broader strategy, even sending immigration agents to apprehend them.
The recent enforcement action comes in response to a surge of pro-Palestinian protests that took place last year at various universities across the United States. During these protests, students called for an end to U.S. government support for Israel in light of the operation against the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza.
Additionally, the U.S. government has reduced federal funding by millions of dollars to prominent educational institutions like Harvard and Columbia, citing their inadequate responses to anti-Semitism during the campus protests.
