The administration of former US President Donald Trump has once again given a strong message to immigrants. Considering visas and green cards as mere privileges, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has made it clear that if any foreign national violates US laws, such as promoting violence, supporting terrorism or engaging in serious crimes, his visa or green card will be immediately revoked. This warning can be a matter of concern especially for Indians, who are expecting to go to the US in large numbers. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services clearly stated in its ex-post, “Coming to the US and obtaining a visa or green card is not a right, but a privilege. If you do not respect US laws, support violence or terrorism, then you have no right to stay in the US.” This policy has been issued under the name of ‘Catch and Revoke’ policy, which aims to crack down on illegal immigrants.
Social media profile information required:
US visa applicants will now have to provide full details of usernames and handles of social media accounts used in the last five years. Social media includes platforms like Facebook, X, LinkedIn and TikTok. The Trump administration has started taking even stricter measures, especially after the increase in pro-Palestinian protests on US universities. The US Embassy in India has clarified that if an applicant does not provide this information or provides false information, his visa application may be rejected, but also may be banned from US visas in the future. On June 23, the US Embassy advised F, M and J visa applicants to make the privacy settings of social media accounts ‘public’, so that the verification process can be easier. These rules apply specifically to student visas (F, M) and exchange visitor visas (J).
.The embassy clarified that all information provided on visa applications, especially social media, will be checked for national security reasons.
The US media, such as the New York Times, CNN, Washington Post and Reuters, have prominently analyzed this strict policy. The New York Times reported that the Trump administration’s ‘catch and revoke’ policy is intended to strengthen US security, but it could increase feelings of insecurity among immigrants, especially Indians. CNN stressed that the demand for social media information could raise questions about the privacy of immigrants. The Washington Post wrote that these policies are an attempt to strictly enforce compliance with US laws, but it will make the process more complicated for visa applicants.
Reuters warned that Indian students and professionals who go to the US to study or work will have to manage their activities on social media. The impact for Indians could be serious. The screening process for visa applications will now be stricter, and any false post or comment on social media can lead to visa cancellation. This can especially affect students and H-1B visa applicants.
Indian government’s response: Demand for visas based on merit
The Indian government reacted with restraint to these instructions from the US embassy. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that visa and immigration matters fall under the jurisdiction of any country, but visa applications of Indian citizens should be evaluated on the basis of merit. He stressed that India will continue to engage with US officials so that the interests of Indian citizens can be protected. Jaiswal described the US advisory as stable at Level 2 and said that there has been no change in it. He termed the India-US relationship as the most important partnership of the 21st century, which is based on the common interests of both countries.
