The Trump administration is proposing a policy that would require green card holders in the United States to disclose their social media accounts. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to expand an existing rule, which currently applies to visa applicants overseas, to include those already residing in the US. This would affect individuals applying for permanent residency or seeking asylum.
USCIS states that this measure is intended for enhanced identity verification and national security screening. In an order issued on March 5, titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” the agency indicated that collecting social media identifiers would assist in verifying identities and conducting security checks.
The proposal builds on an existing requirement for visa applicants to disclose their social media handles. If implemented, it would extend to lawful residents, including green card holders and asylum seekers, applying for permanent residency.
The move comes as the administration pushes for stricter immigration enforcement and increased scrutiny of green card and visa holders. In addition to social media monitoring, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is set to reach an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing ICE officials access to confidential tax information to verify the identities and locations of individuals suspected of being in the US illegally.
According to sources cited by the Washington Post, ICE could submit names of suspected undocumented individuals to the IRS, which would then cross-reference them against confidential taxpayer databases. Some IRS officials have expressed concerns about this agreement, fearing it could misuse privacy laws intended for building criminal cases rather than enforcing immigration penalties.
USCIS justifies the social media disclosure requirement as necessary for verifying identities, conducting national security checks, and ensuring public safety. While visa applicants abroad have already been subject to this requirement, the proposed change would extend it to those already living in the country.
