Overview

• The Trump administration has initiated a policy requiring U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to screen visa and green card applicants' social media for antisemitic content and support for designated terrorist organizations.
• This policy targets individuals applying for lawful permanent residency and student visas, with immediate effect as announced on April 9, 2025.
• USCIS will consider posts endorsing or promoting antisemitic terrorism, including affiliations with groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, as grounds for denial.
• Officials, including DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, assert the measures are necessary for national security, though critics argue they infringe on free speech and disproportionately target immigrant communities.
• The enforcement has already resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of student visas, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming over 300 revocations, sparking protests and legal challenges nationwide.