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USCIS Proposes Mandatory Social Media Disclosure for Immigration Applications

The policy would affect over 3.5 million applicants seeking green cards, citizenship, or asylum, citing national security concerns under a Trump executive order.

The proposed policy would affect millions of applicants within the U.S.
The logo of the Instagram app can be seen on the display of a smartphone on 19.02.2025. File image.
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Overview

  • The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed requiring social media handles on immigration applications, including for green cards, naturalization, and asylum.
  • The agency claims this measure is necessary for identity verification, national security, and public safety, aligning with a Trump administration executive order on enhanced immigrant vetting.
  • An estimated 3.5 million applicants annually would be impacted, potentially adding nearly 286,000 hours of workload for USCIS staff but with no additional public costs, according to the agency.
  • Critics, including civil rights advocates, warn the policy could suppress free speech, lead to misinterpretation of online activity, and discourage immigrants from sharing opinions online.
  • The policy is open for public comment until May 5, with concerns raised about its implications for privacy, freedom of expression, and the criteria used for evaluating social media activity.