Want to migrate to US? Watch out for your Facebook, Twitter posts

Do you wish to migrate to the United States of America? While you have a lot of avenues open for you in the states, you might want to take a deeper look at what you have posted on your social media accounts. The State Department earlier this year has started asking visa applicants to list their social media accounts with their applications. This is being done to check the applicant’s political point of views as well as the views of people you are friends with. According to a report by The Verge, the Obama-era Department of Homeland Security had initially suggested an “online presence” field for people requesting visa waivers. However, Trump administration quickly forged ahead with asking for social media data.

In a recent incident, an incoming Harvard freshman Ismail B. Ajjawi was denied entry to the United States because the Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agent while questioning found some people on his friend list with political views that oppose the US. Several other cases like this are increasing day by day.