E-Paper
What does Trump’s new social media policy mean for Indian Green Card holders?
Green Card holders in the U.S. may face new social media vetting requirements proposed by the Trump administration.
Are you a Green Card holder in America? Then this might concern you, as the Trump administration recently proposed expanding social media vetting for green card applicants already residing in the U.S.
Currently, visa applicants applying from outside the U.S. must submit their social media handles as part of the screening process. However, this new proposal seeks to extend the same requirement to individuals already living in the country who are applying for permanent residency or seeking asylum.
“In a review of information collected for admission and benefit decisions, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) identified the need to collect social media identifiers (‘handles’) and associated social media platform names from applicants to enable and help inform identity verification, national security and public safety screening, and vetting, and related inspections,” the agency stated on March 5.
Notably, many Indians in the U.S. are really very active contributors in Indian and US politics, talking of issues such as the Modi Government, the India and US relationship, global affairs, etc. Increased scrutiny from the government could encourage applicants to abstain from speaking on political matters online due to the risk of negative consequences.
USCIS justified the move, stating that it is essential for “enhanced identity verification, vetting, and national security screening,” citing Trump’s executive order, ‘Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats’ as the legal basis for this proposal.
Public is raging over ‘violation of the First Amendment’
Public feedback on the proposal, which will be accepted until May 5, has been overwhelmingly negative. Out of 143 comments submitted so far, 29 specifically cite concerns over free speech violations.
“Anything that the current administration doesn’t like means bad. Pure ideology means total destruction. This is a violation of the First Amendment,” one anonymous commenter.
“Chilling Effect on Free Speech: The fear of government scrutiny of online expression will undoubtedly stifle free speech. This is particularly concerning for individuals from countries with different political climates, who may fear the misinterpretation of their online activity,” another wrote.
ALSO READ| Why are some Indian H-1B visa and Green Card holders being deported?
People are concerned that the policy could be enforced unevenly or disproportionately based on political views. A lot of Indian applicants fear that they could be stuck with unnecessary hurdles, given past incidents where people were denied entry or deported on the basis of their online activity.
