The new social media policy of the Trump administration may impact Indian Green Card holders in the US, as the latest proposal may require them to surrender their social media accounts.
A new proposal from the Trump administration may soon require the green card holders to surrender their social media accounts. Notably, visa applicants living abroad are already required to share their social media accounts with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If the new proposal comes into effect, it will require those already living legally in the US and seeking to apply for permanent residency or get asylum to share their social media handles.
Decoding Trump administration’s latest move
The move is being seen as an extension of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration as well as a step to filter critics from making the United States their home. The move is likely to impact Indians living legally in the US, especially those who actively contribute to the political discourse in India and the US. The latest move may discourage people from speaking on issues related to politics, which may have negative repercussions for those seeking to live in the US.
In a statement, the USCIS said that it has “identified the need to collect social media identifiers (‘handles’) and associated social media platform names from applicants to enable and help inform identity verification, national security and public safety screening.”
How will the move impact Indian Green Card holders?
The latest proposal will extend the scrutiny to those already living in the US, which may also include those holding green cards, as well as those seeking asylum and applying for permanent residency. As the Trump administration takes a tough stance on immigration, the move will mark a closer scrutiny of green card and visa holders.
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