DHS to screen migrants’ social media for antisemitic activity under new Trump admin policy

On Wednesday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would begin monitoring antisemitic activity from migrants on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the new policy will immediately impact migrants applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students, and migrants affiliated with educational institutions if they are linked to antisemitic activity.

The USCIS said in a statement, “Consistent with President Trump’s executive orders on Combatting Anti-Semitism, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism and Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, DHS will enforce all relevant immigration laws to the maximum degree, to protect the homeland from extremists and terrorist aliens, including those who support antisemitic terrorism, violent antisemitic ideologies and antisemitic terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, or Ansar Allah aka: ‘the Houthis.’”

DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said, “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. 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.”

"Under this guidance, USCIS will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests," USCIS added in the statement. The new guidance is effective immediately.

The initiative is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on antisemitic instances that have become prominent in the US since Hamas launched its attack on Israel in October 2023. The administration has primarily focused on anti-Israel protests on college campuses, which has involved foreign students at times.