"In this photo illustration, an iPhone screen shows various social media apps. Anna Barclay / Getty Images Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news - make a quick donation to Truthout today! This article was originally published by Documented, an independent, non-profit newsroom dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City. The original article can be accessed here."
"The Trump administration is expanding its surveillance of social media - and targeting both documented immigrants and U.S. citizens. Documented spoke to Emile Ayoub, a senior counsel in the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program, about a new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) vetting rule, greenlit last week, that he says poses a serious threat to privacy and free speech rights."
"Under the rule, USCIS will collect social media handles and messaging app information from individuals applying to change their immigration status, and may also request information from their family members. The Brennan Center, together with 41 other organizations, previously submitted comments opposing the rule when it was introduced during the first Trump administration. The Biden administration rejected the rule change in 2021, but the proposal was brought back in Trump's second term as part of its push to increase the "screening" and "vetting" of immigrants."
USCIS will collect social media handles and messaging app information from individuals applying to change immigration status and may also request similar information from their family members. The rule expands social media surveillance to include documented immigrants and U.S. citizens. Civil liberties organizations oppose the rule and have submitted formal comments; the Biden administration rejected the change in 2021, but the policy was reinstated in the Trump administration's second term to expand screening and vetting. Rights advocates warn the policy poses a serious threat to privacy and free speech. USCIS acknowledged a request for comment but did not provide one before publication.
Read at Truthout
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]