The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed a new rule requiring applicants for green cards and U.S. visas to disclose their social media handles. This initiative aims to enhance identity verification, vetting, and national security screening processes.
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The proposed rule mandates that applicants provide social media identifiers on various immigration forms, including those for U.S. citizenship, asylum, and adjustment of status. This measure aligns with the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to standardize security vetting procedures.
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USCIS has opened a 60-day public comment period to gather feedback on the necessity and potential impact of this data collection. The agency estimates an annual burden of approximately 285,999 hours for applicants to comply with this requirement.
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Critics argue that this policy could infringe on privacy rights and may be used to unjustly reject applications. Pro-immigration groups have condemned the measure as undemocratic surveillance.
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This proposal expands upon a 2019 State Department rule that required visa applicants to disclose five years of social media history. The current rule would affect over 3.5 million people annually.
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Applicants and stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the public comment process to express their views on the proposed rule.
USCIS Proposes Social Media Disclosure for Immigration Applicants.
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