DHS to Screen Immigrants’ Social Media for Antisemitism

Under the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will begin to consider immigrants’ social media history as part of their visa evaluation process. This policy will be enacted by the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency.

In an official statement published on 9 April, the USCIS clarified that it will "consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests.”

Furthermore, this policy is especially targeted at “aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions.” The statement also confirmed that it will come into immediate effect.

The wording also emphasized the department’s “no-nonsense” approach, including phrases such as “DHS will enforce all relevant immigration laws to the maximum degree” and “protect the homeland from extremists and terrorist aliens.”

DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin seconded this rhetoric, remarking that “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.” She also reiterated that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has made it clear that “anyone” believed to be hiding behind their First Amendment right to advocate these beliefs is “not welcome here.”

Free speech commentators have expressed worry at the vague and sweeping nature of the new policy. In an X post, Jenin Younes, litigation counsel for the New Civil Liberties Alliance highlighted their belief that the “Trump Admin has re-defined antisemitism to include criticism of Israel and Zionism”. They also claim that it contradicts the "Restoring Free Speech and Ending Federal Censorship" order produced by the same administration.

In contrast, the DHS statement asserts that the new policy is “consistent with” Trump’s previous executive orders to combat anti-semitism and protect the US from foreign terrorists.

Either way, it’s a clear example of the new administration’s tougher stance on immigration, following a ramp-up in ICE raids, the ongoing attempted deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, and the revocation of hundreds of student visas.

It’s not the first radical move by the new administration to come under fire, either. In February, the courts halted DOGE’s “breach” of individual and business financial records held by the treasury.