Foreign nationals who can enter the United States without a visa may soon need to provide the Department of Homeland Security with details about their social media accounts, email addresses, and extensive family backgrounds before being approved for travel.
A notification released on Wednesday by Customs and Border Protection highlights a plan to collect five years’ worth of social media information from travelers hailing from specific countries exempt from visa requirements.
The administration has ramped up monitoring of international travelers and immigrants.
Travelers from over 30 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program will need to submit their information to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which will review and approve travel requests automatically.
Typically, those applying under this program do not need to visit an embassy or consulate for an interview.
The DHS manages the program, allowing citizens from around 40 countries—mostly in Europe and Asia—to visit the U.S. for up to three months for tourism or business, without a visa.
In addition, CBP plans to request a roster of previously used phone numbers for the last five years, as well as email addresses from the past decade.
Applicants will also need to provide metadata from digitally submitted photos, plus detailed information about their family, such as birthplaces and phone numbers.
The current ESTA application already asks for specifics like parents’ names and current email addresses.
During a White House event, when asked if this new measure might deter tourism to the U.S., President Trump responded that it would not, emphasizing the importance of security and the need to keep undesired individuals out of the country.
The public has 60 days to comment on these proposed changes before they take effect, per the announcement.
CBP did not respond promptly when questioned about the new regulations.
The proposal did not clarify what the authorities are seeking from social media accounts or the rationale behind requesting more information.
However, it is noted that this initiative aligns with an executive order from Trump aimed at boosting scrutiny of individuals entering the U.S. to mitigate potential national security risks.
Travelers from nations not part of the Visa Waiver Program are already required to submit similar social media information, a policy that started during the earlier Trump years and continued under President Biden.
Nevertheless, those from visa-exempt countries have not faced similar requirements.
Since January, the Trump administration has increased scrutiny on both immigrants and travelers. New visa guidelines mandate that applicants make all social media accounts public to facilitate thorough background checks for any potentially negative information.
According to State Department guidelines, failing to make social media accounts public could lead to visa denial.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is also considering the opinions of applicants regarding anti-American sentiments, terrorist support, or anti-Semitic views when processing benefit requests such as green cards.
This heightened focus on social media evaluations has sparked concerns among immigrants and free speech advocates about what the administration is really monitoring and whether these actions infringe on free speech rights, especially targeting critics of the government.
