Under the Donald Trump administration, applicants for work, student and immigration visas to the United States have been announced to be screened for “anti-Americanism.” Any signs found will be taken into account as a negative factor, which has provoked discussions about the possible infringement of freedom of expression.
The updated guidelines, outlined in a policy notice from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, instruct agency officials to evaluate cases in which aliens “endorsed or disseminated ideas or actions hostile to the United States,” including “anti-Semitic terrorist acts.”
Trump has previously described as anti-Americanism the work of historians and museums that highlight slavery in the country, as well as the actions of Palestinian supporters protesting against Israeli military operations in Gaza, a US ally.
“Any anti-American activity will be a serious disadvantage when making decisions based on the official's discretion,” USCIS emphasized.
“The nation's resources cannot be allocated to those who show contempt for the United States and spread an ideology that is contrary to American values.”
While there is no formal definition of anti-Americanism, the document cites a federal law that prevents the naturalization of individuals who “oppose the government or the law, or who support totalitarian systems.”
The expanded text specifically identifies adherents of communist and totalitarian doctrines, as well as citizens calling for a violent change in the US government or aggression against officials.
USCIS has expanded the list of applications requiring social media activity review to include an assessment for “activities disloyal to the United States.”
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, an expert at the American Immigration Council, drew a parallel with the 1950s, when Senator Joseph McCarthy initiated a crackdown on alleged communists that became a symbol of political repression.
“The methods of McCarthyism are permeating immigration regulation,” he says, adding that the concept of anti-Americanism “has no analogue in immigration law, and its interpretation is entirely determined by the position of the Trump administration.”
Back in April, US authorities announced plans to monitor immigrants and visa applicants' social media for anti-Semitism. Human rights activists were already warning about the risks to freedom of speech and the strengthening of total control.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
