December 12 – The Trump administration is finalising a proposal for visa applications to have to submit five years of social media history and email addresses they have used for the past 10 years, as well as additional information about themselves and their immediate family.
The news was in a notice posted in the federal government’s journal of regulations by Customs and Border Protection, a branch of DHS. The submission of the social media and email data is described as being mandatory.
The proposal has been met criticism because of its likely impact on tourism to the US – that is already at a low ebb – and the impact it could potentially have on football fans planning to travel to the US for next year’s World Cup.
Currently 42 countries are enrolled in the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Austhorisation) visa waiver programme that allows entry to the US for up to 90 days for tourism or business travel, without needing to apply for a visa at an American embassy or consulate.
Countries included in the programme who have qualified for the 2026 finals include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK (England and Scotland).
Ronan Evain, the executive director of Football Supporters Europe, said: “The US government’s announced plans are profoundly unacceptable. Freedom of expression and the right to privacy are universal human rights. No football fan surrenders those rights just because they cross a border.
“This policy introduces a chilling atmosphere of surveillance that directly contradicts the welcoming, open spirit the World Cup is meant to embody and it must be withdrawn immediately.”
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has already instructed officials to investigate the social media history, including for views and activities deemed to be “anti-American”, as well as judge the “good moral character” of legal immigrants requesting US citizenship.
The proposed visa changes still have to be reviewed by the White House but are designed to enforce an executive order issued by President Trump of denying entry to foreigners who may pose a threat to US national security or public safety.
A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said: “Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States. This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe. The department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Wasington DC against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving.”
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