U.S. to Monitor Immigrants’ Social Media for Antisemitism

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a new policy to monitor immigrants' social media accounts for evidence of antisemitic activity, which could result in the denial of immigration benefits.

Effective immediately, the policy applies to individuals seeking permanent residency, foreign student visas, and those affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic behavior.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the screenings will target social media posts that endorse or promote antisemitic terrorism, violent ideologies, or organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Ansar Allah (the Houthis).

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

The announcement follows recent controversies surrounding pro-Palestinian student activists accused of antisemitic actions. Critics argue that the policy risks conflating legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

Edward Ahmed Mitchell, deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, condemned the move, calling it a “witch hunt” targeting free speech rights. Similarly, Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J-Street, criticized the policy as an attack on fundamental American values like free speech.

The Trump administration has defended the initiative as part of broader efforts to combat antisemitism and protect national security.

USCIS will use artificial intelligence tools to scan social media accounts at scale, but concerns about AI’s ability to interpret context and nuance have raised questions about potential misinterpretations of political speech or satire.

Immigration experts have also expressed alarm over the policy’s lack of clarity regarding what constitutes antisemitism. Critics fear it could lead to arbitrary enforcement and unfair targeting of individuals based on their political views or academic discussions.

The administration has already revoked visas for hundreds of international students over alleged antisemitic activity, with many detained or forced to leave the country without clear explanations.

As debate over the policy intensifies, DHS insists it will enforce immigration laws “to the maximum degree” while continuing its crackdown on perceived threats linked to antisemitism.

However, advocacy groups warn that this approach risks undermining free speech protections and alienating immigrant communities.