During his 2016 presidential run, Donald Trump said that foreigners coming to the U.S. should be imposed with “extreme vetting” to ensure that national security is maintained as incidents of terrorism plague countries across the globe. However, there were never really any guidelines by which this measure would be implemented that came from Trump or other officials.
Nevertheless, the State Department has now started the task of crafting a series of extreme vetting guidelines to carry out the president’s executive order to enhance travel security. In their recently published rules, the State Department will require that most visitors and immigrants to the U.S. to turn over their recent social media histories.
The Washington Times reports that travelers will also be asked to list email addresses, phone numbers, and any international travel dating back five years. Along with being questioned about any past immigration problems they would have encountered, travelers will be asked if they have any family members that are connected to terrorism or any terrorist groups.
Immigrants from nations where female genital mutilation (FGM) is practiced will be also be directed to a State Department-run website to educate potential immigrants and visitors that the practice is illegal in the U.S., ensuring that human rights violations do not occur.
The extreme vetting proposals are listed in two documents set to be published online Friday, marking a short period before the federal government finalizes the measures.
“This upgrade to visa vetting is long overdue, and it’s appropriate to apply it to everyone seeking entry, because terrorism is a worldwide problem. The aim is to try to weed out people with radical or dangerous views,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
She also said the effort to discourage the practice of FGM, mainly seen in African countries, is “innovative.” She explained, “The message needs to be sent that ‘we don’t do that here.’ ”
National security advocates have demanded for years that the federal government should collect more information from immigrants and visitors, but have dealt with civil liberties groups who see the measure as a clear violation. Don Crocetti, a former senior fraud investigator for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said it is reasonable to collect information from travelers, but privacy rules must not be infringed upon.
Analyzing a potential immigrant’s or visitor’s social media information can assist in a security official’s search to see if the person or applicant is being truthful. Though, Crocetti explained that one’s refusal to relinquish passwords or other non-public social media accounts cannot be used as legal standing to deny approval or entrance.
“The use of social media is a wrench in their tool box. It’s not that you use that same wrench for everything you do, but it’s a wrench, it’s a different sized tool, and you have use that selectively,” he said.
The State Department already collects information on visitors, but is limited to travel history and family relations. The new guidelines will now include previous passport numbers, extensive information on family members, employment, and a lengthier travel history.
According to a spokesperson from the department, “Collecting this additional information from visa applicants will strengthen our process for vetting these applicants and confirming their identity.” Around 14 million people, including tourists and others coming to the U.S. on temporary visas, will be affected by the new extreme vetting measures.
