US Defends Wider Social Media Screening of Visa Applicants

Washington, August 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

The US State Department has defended expanded social media screening of foreign visa applicants after a report claimed that the Trump administration was extending online vetting to additional categories, including foreign journalists and certain Canadian and Mexican professionals.

The Daily Signal reported that an internal State Department memorandum required applicants to make their social media accounts publicly accessible for review by consular officers.

According to the report, the expanded screening would apply to foreign media representatives and eligible Canadian and Mexican nationals entering the US for business purposes under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Their dependants would also reportedly be subject to the requirement.

The State Department neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the reported memorandum.

“While we do not comment on purported internal documents, the Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” a State Department spokesperson told IANS.

The spokesperson cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s position that “a visa is a privilege, not a right”.

The department said every foreign national seeking entry into the US undergoes extensive screening to determine whether they will comply with American laws and whether they pose risks to national security, public safety or other national interests.

The Daily Signal reported that social media screening was already mandatory for applicants seeking diplomatic and official visas, temporary worker and trainee visas, and exchange visitor visas. The requirement also reportedly covers international cultural exchange participants, religious workers and applicants classified as witnesses, informants or victims.

The State Department said its screening procedures are continuously reviewed and updated.

Consular officers can examine publicly available online information while assessing an applicant’s eligibility and potential security concerns. The department said officers use multiple methods to verify applicants, prevent fraud and protect national security.

The reported expansion would broaden an online vetting policy already applicable to several major visa categories and could require additional applicants to make posts and other social media information accessible to consular officials.