Federal immigration and visa policies now emphasize political loyalty, with vetting of applicants' social media for anti-Trump sentiment. State Department procedures screen out individuals perceived as opposed to Trump, equating anti-Trump views with anti-American sentiment. DHS guidance expands discretionary denial or removal of migrants and cites statutes tied to McCarthy-era exclusions. Immigration benefit applicants face a burden of proof to show favorable discretion, and compliance with immigration requirements is weighed against perceived political beliefs. These measures prioritize ideological conformity and risk denying previously guaranteed rights and benefits to migrants based on political expression.
Marco Rubio's State Department is doing what it can to filter out people who might be opposed to Trump and/or his policies. Applicants for visas now must subject themselves to vetting that includes deep dives into their social media accounts to sniff out anything slightly smelling of anti-Trump animus. According to Rubio himself, being anti-Trump is the same thing as being anti-America, even though it's clear Trump has zero respect for everything that actually makes America great.
In a move that's completely on-brand for the Trump administration, McCarthyism is now back in play when it comes to allowing migrants to continue accessing rights and benefits that were previously considered to be guaranteed. (h/t Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on Bluesky) This isn't hyperbole. It's excruciatingly literal. The new DHS policy memo [PDF] specifically cites laws created to assist Joe McCarthy's desire to eject Communists from the country.
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