The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is introducing new rules: applicants for permanent residence, student visas and participation in educational programs will be checked for anti-Semitism in social media. Any evidence of support for anti-Semitic violence will be grounds for denial of immigration privileges.
According to the new requirements, USCIS will closely examine the publications of foreigners who “approve of or support anti-Semitic terrorism or terrorist organizations associated with it.” It also provides for a check for the presence of facts of physical persecution of Jews. This measure applies not only to prospective citizens, but also to students and representatives of educational institutions. This is the first large-scale step taken after a series of executive orders signed by President Trump in early 2025.
Individuals associated with ideologies or groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, or Ansar Allah (Houthi) will be subject to scrutiny, all of which are designated as terrorist organizations in the United States.
This initiative is a response to the wave of anti-Israel protests in the United States that erupted after the war in Gaza, provoked by Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. As early as March 2025, the White House hinted at the possibility of such actions, while human rights activists expressed concerns about the risk to freedom of expression. Indeed, the organization FIRE (Foundation for the Defense of Freedom of Expression) has already characterized the new policy as “legalizing censorship” and has promised a public appeal.
The DHS innovation has divided society: some support the need to combat extremism, while others express reservations about the possibility of political persecution for their beliefs. While protecting against terrorism is a priority, disrupting the balance between security and free speech threatens the very ideal of American democracy. It is imperative that these measures not become a tool for ideological filtering of immigrants.
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