Social Media Monitoring and Immigration Policy: A Shift in Focus?

Executive Summary

This policy brief discusses the Trump administration’s evolving immigration policies, which increased surveillance and scrutiny of immigrants, under the premise of security and public safety. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created a task force to sift through approximately 1.5 million social media accounts belonging to foreign students. Identification of alleged antisemitic activity could lead to visa revocations, criminal charges, or deportation. Under the Biden administration, these data analytic tools were modified to identify individuals inciting violence. However, the current administration drifted away from the original intent and now targets political expression and constitutionally protected free speech. Many non-profit and civil rights organizations consider this surveilling of visa and green card holders as direct targeting of protected freedom of expression. These efforts are a continuation of pattern of detaining and deporting international students who’ve supported Palestine in any capacity.

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Introduction

The Department of Homeland Security recently announced it will utilize social media to monitor social media accounts of immigrants for antisemitic content. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will screen their social media accounts and online activity for evidence of antisemitic activity or harassment against Jewish individuals. If such behavior is identified, it will be grounds for denial of immigration benefits. This is another Trump administration measure to target undocumented immigrants to revoke their status, whether documented or undocumented. The targeting of immigrants has escalated beyond the Trump administration's first presidential term, which included separating children from their families at the border, building a wall alongside the Mexico border,  and spreading hatred of immigrants more than any president in United States history.

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Overview of The Trump’s Administration History of Anti-Immigrant Efforts

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Donald Trump remains the only United States president to have won his presidency on an immigration-centered platform. In 2019, he refused to end the government shutdown unless Congress approved his request to fund the wall for $5.7 billion. After the request was denied, Trump declared a national state of emergency at the Southern border, reallocating $8.1 billion to the construction of the wall. His declaration of a national state of emergency resulted in 16 state attorneys general filing lawsuits, arguing the president violated the constitution’s separation of powers and constitutional overreach. The House of Representatives overturned Trump’s declaration of a national state of emergency.

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Following Trump’s first term, documents obtained through various Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests revealed senior White House adviser Stephen Miller coordinating with Department of Justice officials, and White House aide Julia Hahn, to promote anti-immigrant rhetoric to garner support for more aggressive immigration measures. Over the course of the administration, 472 executive orders were implemented impacting immigration directly or indirectly. The orders included extending wait times for asylum seekers to obtain work permits, increasing law enforcement presence, and imposing new barriers to entering the United States. The Department of Homeland Security introduced interlocking policies that limit asylum eligibility at the border and block asylum eligibility for asylum seekers. Also, Trump imposed astronomical fees on asylum applications and appeal applications, totaling an 800% increase.

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In December 2020, the Trump administration introduced a series of regulations that disproportionately targeted asylum seekers. Individuals labeled as “dangerous” or a “threat to national security” would be sent to a facility in El Salvador, placing them in environments that pose heightened risks to their safety and security. The use of such labels, framed as a safety measure to combat threats to public safety- draws parallels to recent targeting of immigrants being labeled as antisemitic for their pro-Palestine activity.

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Since the start of the second presidential term, the Trump administration enacted multiple immigration policies at a startling rate. In his first executive order, Trump proclaimed that “millions of illegal aliens” are in the United States, prompting the administration to suspend the entry of any individuals attempting to access the United States through the Southern border. Next, the use of mandatory detention of aliens suspected of violating federal law expanded as Immigration and Customs agents began arresting aliens. The Department of Homeland Security reports 32,809 arrests in the first 50 days of President Trump being in office. Many arrested aliens were placed in mandatory detentions with the majority facing deportation of alleged convicted criminals and individuals pending criminal charges.

Additional executive orders authorized expanding state and local police forces to carry out functions similar to ICE agents in the investigation and deportation of aliens. Concurrently, the administration moved to withhold federal funding from state jurisdictions not in compliance with immigration enforcement efforts- so-called “sancutuary cities.” Known as “sancutary policies,” state jurisdictions are to ensure that all residents, regardless of their immigration status, seek assistance from local law enforcement without fear of deportation. The revocation of funding, in response to these policies, endangers communities and violates the Tenth Amendment. The impact of these policies is felt near and far, as the United States continues to send the message that they will not welcome anyone fleeing war, persecution, or poverty.

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Monitoring Immigrants Socia Media Accounts

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Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem recently announced that social media screenings of immigrants will affect those applying for permanent residence status, and international students on student visas. The screenings will attempt to identify antisemitic activity to “protect the homeland from extremists and terrorist aliens.” Data analytic tools will sift through approximately 1.5 million accounts to identify alleged antisemitic activity. Social media posts supporting Palestinian human rights, liberation, or calling an end to the genocide in Gaza will have negative consequences on immigration applications. Noem’s announcement follows the arrests of Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk, individuals the administration alleges engaged in antisemitic activity and incited hostility toward Jewish communities through their pro-Palestine advocacy. The new social media screening policy took effect immediately, with DHS and USCIS stating these measures align with President Trump’s 2019 executive order Combatting Antisemitism, as well his January 2025 order Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.

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Many non-profit and civil rights organizations consider this surveilling of visa and green card holders as direct targeting of protected freedom of expression. These efforts are a continuation of pattern of detaining and deporting international students who’ve supported Palestine in any capacity.

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Conclusion

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The Trump administration’s evolving immigration policies blur the line between national security and political ideology. Various executive orders and legal barriers signal a shift towards criminalizing dissent and equating pro-Palestine advocacy with threats to public safety. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will screen their social media accounts and online activity for evidence of antisemitic activity or harassment against Jewish individuals. If such behavior is identified, it will be grounds for denial of immigration benefits. As these policies continue to unfold, the scrutiny over the immigrant population increases.

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Recommendations

1. Limit personal information online.
2. Understand public vs. private content: make sure privacy settings are adjusted on all your social media platforms.
3. Know your rights: generally, you do not have to provide passwords to DHS or other officials, unless there is a warrant. Contact CAIR, ACLU, or Muslim Advocates to be advised of your rights or for general guidance.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect accounts from unauthorized access.
5. Consult with an immigration attorney if you believe your social media posts might affect your legal status.

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