participation in antisemitic activities
USCIS just announced that they are now looking at social media activities of those who apply for immigration benefits. Specifically, they say that they are concerned with antisemitic activity and physical harassment of Jewish individuals. So far it looks like they are mainly targeting international students and green card applicants, but it is likely that this scrutiny will be extended to naturalization applicants as well. I am trying to get more information on how citizenship educators can alert/screen students who are preparing to send their applications, since the current N-400 does not include questions about this. I am also hoping to get some ideas on how questions at a citizenship interview might be phrased (if indeed these matters are being explored during interviews). If you hear from students who are asked about "antisemitic activities" at an interview, please try to find out exactly what the examiner asked, and send the information on to me!
The USCIS announcement is below:
WASHINGTON— Today U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin considering aliens’ antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests. This will immediately affect aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity.
Consistent with President Trump’s executive orders on Combatting Anti-Semitism, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism and Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, DHS will enforce all relevant immigration laws to the maximum degree, to protect the homeland from extremists and terrorist aliens, including those who support antisemitic terrorism, violent antisemitic ideologies and antisemitic terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, or Ansar Allah aka: “the Houthis.”
“There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “Sec. Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-Semitic violence and terrorism – think again. You are not welcome here.”
Under this guidance, USCIS will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This guidance is effective immediately.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Posted: to Citizenship News on Fri, Apr 11, 2025
Updated: Fri, Apr 11, 2025