Under a new policy being considered by the Trump administration, individuals applying for green cards, U.S. citizenship, asylum, or refugee status may soon be required to provide full access to their social media accounts.
Reportedly, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the federal agency responsible for handling legal migration, has issued a 60-day notice for all federal agencies and the American public to comment on a newly proposed policy. According to the proposal, USCIS has identified the need to collect social media identifiers (“handles”) and the names of associated social media platforms from applicants to protect the national security of the United States.
Additionally, the proposed policy aims to ensure compliance with President Trump’s executive order, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats." This order mandates that not only USCIS but also the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) vet and screen all migrants seeking admission to the United States to the maximum extent possible.
USCIS estimates that the proposed policy will impact approximately 3.5 million people, including those seeking refugee status, green cards, naturalization, and the relatives of U.S. citizens or previously accepted asylum seekers. However, it remains unclear whether the policy will be used as a basis to reject applicants.