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March 13, 2025 | 06:39 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government of the United States (U.S.), through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has proposed a new policy that requires citizenship, residency, and asylum applicants to submit their social media accounts for residency.
Citing Forbes, the policy, which is part of the background check process, is claimed to be a step to enhance national security. This regulation is also in line with President Donald Trump's executive order regarding immigration. Trump previously tightened the requirements for immigrants who want to enter or are already in the U.S.
According to USCIS, the collection of social media data is necessary to fulfill Section 2 of the executive order 'Enhanced Vetting and Screening Across Agencies.' This section requires all immigrants to be screened and examined as thoroughly as possible.
In the published policy document, USCIS stated that the new policy was decided after reviewing the information collected in the immigration application process. The agency emphasized the urgency of collecting social media from applicants. 'This information will assist in identity verification, national security and public safety screening, as well as other inquiries,' read the USCIS statement.
A report from Mashable mentioned that this policy could impact 3.57 million individuals, including green card applicants or permanent residents in the U.S., naturalization, asylum seekers, refugees, and relatives of individuals who have been granted asylum or refugee status. USCIS estimates that this additional processing will require approximately 285,999 staff work hours, but without additional costs to participants.
The U.S. Department of State previously required visa applicants from overseas to submit their social media history for the past five years. However, this new policy applies to those who are already residing in the U.S. and wish to renew or change their immigration status.
Saira Hussain, a senior advisor at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, stated that reporting social media accounts applies to those who have been living in the U.S. for 30-40 years. This regulation must be followed by green card holders who are applying for citizenship.
"Even for those residing with other types of visas and wishing to obtain a green card," she said.
According to Saira, submitting social media accounts creates a terrifying effect, where people can be screened based on their opinions on social media. However, the U.S. should grant full rights to its residents. "They may be afraid to share their opinions for fear of being scrutinized and denied immigration benefits such as naturalization," she said.
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