The Trump administration wants to review all prospective citizens’ social media accounts
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Summary
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revealed plans in the Federal Register to demand social media handles of those applying for; green cards, citizenship, asylum or refugee status.
The agency claims it is to ensure maximal screening of applicants for national security purposes and to comply with President Trump’s “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats” executive order issued in January 2017.
Analysts are concerned that this may be an attempt to restrict legal migration, whilst immigrant advocates see the proposal as “…authoritarianism and undemocratic surveillance” saying this will “weaponize digital platforms” against immigrants.
The move extends existing policy which requires foreign nationals outside the US to disclose their social media history for the previous five years when applying for a visa.