US Proposes Collecting Social Media Information Of Visa Applicants, Gives Reason
- The USCIS has proposed collecting social media information from visa and citizenship applicants to enhance national security and fraud detection
- Civil rights advocates warn of potential privacy and freedom of speech concerns arising from this new vetting process
- A 60-day public-comment period has begun, inviting feedback on the proposed changes to application forms
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a proposal to collect social media information from visa and citizenship applicants, citing national security concerns.
This change aligns with an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, aimed at enhancing border security and vetting processes.
Public comment period opens for USCIS proposal
A 60-day public-comment period commenced on Wednesday, allowing individuals to voice their opinions on the proposed changes.
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USCIS stated that the additional data collection would help identify potential national security risks and strengthen fraud detection.
Social media vetting: National security measure
The proposal extends existing social media checks, currently applied to some visa applicants outside the U.S., to those seeking permanent residency or citizenship within the country.
USCIS estimates that this change will affect approximately 2.5 million applicants annually, adding nearly 286,000 hours of work to its staff's workload.
Concerns over privacy and freedom of speech
Civil rights advocates have raised concerns about the implications of social media vetting.
Saira Hussain, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, warned of a "chilling effect" on free speech, particularly for long-term residents seeking citizenship.
Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, highlighted uncertainties surrounding the criteria for evaluating social media content.
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What happens next?
USCIS has clarified that no additional costs will be incurred for implementing these changes.
The agency is inviting public feedback before finalising the proposal, emphasising its commitment to national security while addressing privacy concerns.
US embassy moves to new service provider
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States Mission in Nigeria has unveiled a new service provider for Nigerians. The announcement which was made public on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday showed that, with the new service provider, applicants can apply for their visas as well as book appointments.
Other services include: payment of visa application fee, and account creation.Other services include: payment of visa application fee, and account creation.
The US Embassy in Nigeria indicated that it was committed to improving its services and urged applicants to use the new service provider for the areas mentioned.
