The Trump administration has announced enhanced scrutiny for applicants seeking H-1B visas, particularly targeting individuals involved in online content moderation and censorship activities. The move comes amid the administration’s broader focus on protecting free speech and limiting what it considers suppression of expression in the United States.
According to an internal State Department cable issued to all U.S. missions on December 2, consular officers are now required to review the professional histories of H-1B applicants and their accompanying family members. The review will focus on employment in areas such as misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance, and online safety.
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“If evidence shows that an applicant was responsible for or complicit in censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, the applicant should be deemed ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” the cable stated. The directive applies to both new and repeat visa applicants.
H-1B visas, which allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialized fields, are a key resource for American technology companies that recruit heavily from countries including India and China. Many leaders in the sector supported Trump during the previous presidential election.
A State Department spokesperson said, “We do not support aliens coming to the United States to work as censors muzzling Americans,” adding that the policy stems from past experiences where social media companies restricted the former president’s accounts. The spokesperson noted that preventing foreigners from engaging in such censorship is intended to protect American citizens’ rights.
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The administration has increasingly framed free speech, particularly concerns over stifling conservative voices online, as a priority in its foreign and domestic policy. Officials have previously criticized European authorities in countries such as Romania, Germany, and France for what they describe as restrictions on right-wing politicians under the guise of combating disinformation.
In May, Senator Marco Rubio warned of potential visa restrictions on individuals involved in censoring Americans’ speech, suggesting the policy could also target foreign officials overseeing U.S. tech companies.
This enhanced vetting is part of a wider crackdown on immigration measures under the Trump administration. Earlier, student visa applicants were also subjected to increased screening, including reviews of social media activity potentially hostile toward the United States. Additionally, in September, new fees for H-1B visa applications were introduced as part of the administration’s immigration policy changes.
Trump and his allies have repeatedly criticized the prior Democratic administration under President Joe Biden, claiming it encouraged the suppression of free speech on online platforms, particularly regarding vaccine-related content and election information.
