Trump administration moves to deny visas to factcheckers and content moderators

"The action, detailed in a state department memo sent to overseas missions this week, first reported by Reuters and then NPR, directs consular officials to deny visas to any applicant responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the US. The order, which state department officials have not denied, requires enhanced vetting of applicants to see if they have worked in areas that include activities such as misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety, among others, Reuters reported."

"It will initially focus on applicants for H-1B visas, usually given to highly skilled foreign workers in the technology industry among other sectors, but is applicable to all visa applications, the news agency added. The directive is the latest in a number of recent moves by Donald Trump to restrict legal immigration to the US through consular avenues, and hardens a promise made by the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in May to bar entry to the US to anybody perceived to be suppressing the free speech essential to the American way of life."

"In a post on X at the time, Rubio wrote: Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country. Whether in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere, the days of passive treatment for those who work to undermine the rights of Americans are over. According to NPR, which said the memo was sent to US foreign stations on Tuesday, diplomatic officials are instructed to turn down visa applications from anybody who worked on factchecking, content moderation or other activities the Trump administration considers censorship' of Americans' speech. They must scrutinize for evidence an applicant's work history, including going through their Linked"

U.S. State Department issued a memo directing consular officials to deny visas to applicants who were responsible for or complicit in censoring protected expression in the United States. The memo mandates enhanced vetting for work in misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance, and online safety. The policy initially targets H-1B applicants but applies across all visa categories. Diplomats must scrutinize applicants' work histories, including social media profiles. State Department officials did not deny the order. The move aligns with broader Trump administration efforts to tighten legal immigration and enacts Secretary of State Marco Rubio's pledge to bar foreigners who undermine Americans' free speech.

Read at www.theguardian.com