With so much information and data available on social media, the US government is intending to analyse these platforms in order to understand social connections to process visas and green card applications much more quickly.
According to the government, the new US policy will include the screening of social media activities for immigration and visa applications. In addition, the support for antisemitism online, and physical harassment of Jews will be considered as immigration risk factors.
New Standards for Assessments of Immigration Benefits
In a statement to the Washington Free Beacon, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated that the new process will apply to ”applicants seeking lawful permanent residency, [those] who are international students and others associated with institutions of higher learning associated with antisemitic activity.” According to the government, this was to help ensure the security and integrity of Canadas immigration system crackdown was needed to safeguard the security and integrity of the immigration system
Government Perspective: Why Policy Makes Sense
The government is of the opinion that ‘people who support terroristic activities are not to be allowed inside of America. It has also stated the necessity of removing individuals who deemed as risks to public safety and national security.’ Social media analysis is framed as a tool that will help enhancing the strength-based Screening of Individuals seeking immigration benefits.
Remarks on the Civil Liberties Organisations
It is one of the new policies being implemented that civil liberties protection groups have stood up and took notice of. These organisations have raised concerns about the impact on freedom of expression and the potential for heightened surveillance of migrant populations. Concerns had been raised about the lack of clarity surrounding the definition of antisemitic activity and the potential for broad interpretations of the law as it is enforced. And the latest response is from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) to the institutionalization of censorship.
Effects of such a policy on both international students and institutions
International students seeking to study in a foreign country may be impacted by the consideration of overseas students from universities where antisemitic is commonplace where the universities may be called out privately or publicly. The changes laid out in the official Communist Party newspaper suggest that students applying for visas or residence permits might also be subject to checks over links to the groups or activity online. According to the government, the same has already been in force from now.
What It Means for Different Types of Applicants
Such social media review process could affect millions of people who may like to set a foot in the US for visit or immigrate to the country. As a process, that means anyone who is trying to come to the U.S., through an employment based or family-based petition will be subjected to additional scrutiny at this stage. This intensity with which the government pursued online expressions and reported intentions, though, is indicative of an expanded assessment scope. Illegals war machine demonstrates bans and whips in headlight of light of sunsets portents will help and the A new canine, a common S, requires careful elucidation about criteria and norms which ought to take its place in this.
Advice on What You Should — And Should Not — Do and Say Online
This emphasis on activity, rather than state, raises a series of questions of its own, about how to account for the verbal and visual representations and practices of the digital realm. In the sphere of social media, that distinction can be tricky to identify; after all, comments can be constructive, and criticism can be constructive. More or less. It is majorly subjective, which leaves room for manipulation, so the government, sooner or later, needs to come up with clear, uniform directions on how social media companies regulate content, and this policy should be applied in accordance with that account, and rolled out as equal justice;
International academic exchange will be impacted
International academic exchange programmes could be impacted as well due to the mention of links to educational institutions linked to antisemitic action. Institutions that host international students and scholars should also consider how on-campus activities impact the immigration futures of its members. Less globalisation could also change the character of international collaboration and skill and talent movement. It seems to me that this means the academic community may be asking for more details — e.g. on what exact standards were used to measure university connections to antisemitic activity.
