New DHS Policy Alert – Immigration Scrutiny Tightens Around Antisemitic Social Media Activity Effective April 9, 2025
- visa code
- Apr 10
- 1 min read
Effective April 9, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin screening social media activity of foreign nationals applying for U.S. immigration benefits for antisemitic content or affiliations.
This update can be found here.
This includes applicants for:
Lawful permanent residency (Green Cards)
Student visas (F-1)
Any Immigration benefit where discretion is involved
In line with recent executive orders, USCIS will treat social media content promoting or endorsing antisemitic terrorism or extremist ideologies as a serious negative factor.
DHS states this policy is meant to keep out individuals who support terrorist-linked ideologies and organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and others.
However, whether a post constitutes “protected speech” under the First Amendment is ultimately for the courts to decide not USCIS or DHS. The policy raises constitutional concerns, especially for students and applicants who may not have violated any U.S. law or engaged in any criminal activity.
Applicants are advised to:
Review their public online content
Understand that context matters
Seek legal advice before filing or if impacted
Freedom of expression is a constitutional principle but for non-citizens, immigration consequences can arise even before legal clarity is established by the courts.
