The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), has announced a new policy aimed at enhancing national security. Effective immediately, USCIS officers will begin reviewing social media content and other public activity for signs of antisemitic views or affiliations—particularly support for antisemitic terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and others.
This guidance will impact individuals applying for lawful permanent residency (green cards), student visas (F-1/M-1), and other immigration benefits. Foreign nationals associated with institutions linked to antisemitic activity may also be subject to additional scrutiny or denial of benefits.
The agency has clarified that public posts promoting or supporting antisemitic ideologies or organizations may be used as negative factors during the discretionary decision-making process for immigration benefit applications.
This move aligns with executive directives aimed at combating antisemitism and reinforcing U.S. immigration law to keep extremist ideologies out of the country.
This policy is already in effect and could significantly influence pending and future immigration petitions.