Homeland Security To Screen Immigrants And Foreign Students’ Social Media For Anti-Semitism

The Department of Homeland Security announced that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will immediately begin screening immigrants’ social media for anti-Semitic content and any history of physically harassing Jews.

The announcement comes as the Trump administration arrests foreign students who had their visas revoked for involvement in anti-Semitic campus protests that have led to vandalism, harassment, and taking over campus buildings.

Any information found may be grounds for denying immigration benefit requests for immigrants applying for permanent residency, foreign students, and individuals affiliated with educational institutions linked to anti-Semitic activity.

In the screening process, USCIS will consider any social media content that “indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests.”

DHS added that it will enforce all immigration laws and protect the homeland from terrorist aliens who support anti-Semitic terrorism, violent anti-Semitic ideologies, and various terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

According to DHS, the move is consistent with President Donald Trump’s executive orders issued to combat rising anti-Semitism.

“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,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “Sec. Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-Semitic violence and terrorism — think again. You are not welcome here.”

Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that the students being deported would not have been permitted into the United States if the government knew what they would do once reaching campus.

“If you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student and you tell us that the reason why you’re coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op-eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus, we’re not going to give you a visa,” Rubio said. “If you lie to us and get a visa and then enter the United States and with that visa, participate in that sort of activity, we’re going to take away your visa.”

Rubio added that once a student loses their visa, they are no longer legally in the United States, and can be deported.

“I think it’s crazy to invite students into your country that are coming onto your campus and destabilizing it,” Rubio said. “Every country in the world has a right to decide who comes in as a visitor and who doesn’t.”