Fri Apr 18 01:38:46 UTC 2025: ## Trump Administration Orders Social Media Vetting for Gaza Visitors Seeking US Visas
**Washington, D.C. –** The Trump administration has announced a new policy requiring social media vetting for all U.S. visa applicants who have visited the Gaza Strip since January 1, 2007. This measure, revealed in an internal State Department cable obtained by Reuters, expands the administration’s efforts to tighten screening procedures for foreign travelers.
The policy applies to both immigrant and non-immigrant visas and includes NGO workers and individuals who have held official or diplomatic positions in Gaza. If social media reviews uncover information deemed detrimental to national security, a security advisory opinion (SAO) will be initiated, triggering a further interagency investigation.
This directive follows the revocation of hundreds of visas, including those held by lawful permanent residents, under a 1952 law permitting the deportation of immigrants deemed harmful to U.S. foreign policy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that over 300 visas have already been revoked.
While a State Department spokesperson emphasized that all visa applicants undergo extensive security vetting, the administration maintains that the policy prioritizes national security and public safety. Critics, however, have condemned the move as an infringement on First Amendment free speech rights, citing instances of students facing visa revocation for expressing views critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The high-profile arrest of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, captured on video last month, serves as a prominent example. Secretary Rubio has defended the actions, stating that further visa revocations are anticipated.
First Piper 