US Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin considering aliens’ antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests.
Image: White House/Facebook
If you are planning a trip to America and have shown any anti-Jew sentiment on your social media, you might have to skip those plans - your application will be denied.
This week, the United States issued a warning that it will deny immigration applications to those who display anti-semitic posts on social media. (Antisemitism refers to hostility or hatred towards Jews).
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services explained that this includes those wanting to apply for green cards, student visas, or those with connections to schools involved in antisemitic actions.
This follows executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in a bid to fight antisemitism and keep out those viewed as a threat to national security.
"The Department of Homeland Security (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," the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said.
The department said there is no room in the US for the rest of the world's terrorist sympathisers.
"We are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here," said DHS assistant secretary for Public Affairs, Tricia McLaughlin.
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem made 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," she said.
"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. This guidance is effective immediately," the department added.
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