U.S. immigration officials announced they will review social media accounts and may deny visas or residence permits to individuals who share content deemed anti-Semitic by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Content identified as anti-Semitic will encompass social media activity that supports militant organizations recognized by the United States as terrorists, including Hamas, Hezbollah from Lebanon, and the Houthi insurgents in Yemen.
This decision follows the Trump administration’s contentious cancellation of visas for students already in the United States, where the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “has made it abundantly clear that anyone who believes they can come to America and use the First Amendment as a shield to promote anti-Semitic violence and terrorism – think again. You are not welcome here,” stated department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.
The new policy will be enacted immediately and will affect student visas and applications for permanent resident “green cards” to remain in the United States.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned late last month that he has revoked visas for approximately 300 individuals and continues to do so daily.
Mr. Rubio asserted that non-U.S. citizens do not possess the same rights as Americans and that it is his prerogative, not the courts’, to grant or deny visas.
Several individuals who have had their visas revoked argue that they never expressed hostility toward Jews. Some claimed they were targeted simply for being present at protests.
The most notable deportation case involves Mahmoud Khalil, who led protests at Columbia University in New York. He was also taken to Louisiana ahead of his deportation proceedings, despite being a permanent resident of the U.S.
The Trump administration has also removed millions of dollars in federal funding from leading universities, citing their inadequate response to combat anti-Semitism during protests sparked by the Gaza conflict.
