US Admin Orders Gaza-Linked Social Media Vetting for Visa Applicants

The Trump administration on Thursday ordered a social media vetting for all US visa applicants who have been to the Gaza Strip on or after January 1, 2007, an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters showed, in the latest push to tighten screening of foreign travelers.

- Reuters

WASHINGTON: The order to conduct a social media vetting for all immigrant and non-immigrant visas should include non-governmental organization workers as well as individuals who have been in the Palestinian enclave for any length of time in an official or diplomatic capacity, the cable said.

"If the review of social media results uncovers potential derogatory information relating to security issues, then a SAO must be submitted," the cable said, referring to a security advisory opinion (SAO), which is an interagency investigation to determine if a visa applicant poses a national security risk to the United States. The cable was sent to all US diplomatic and consular posts.