If the Trump Administration has its way, tourists will have to show 5 years’ worth of social media activity to gain entry into the United States.
The Trump Administration continues to make sweeping changes to the immigration system in its attempt to curb “illegal immigration.”
A new proposal from the US Customs and Border Protection Service (CBP) is requesting citizens from 42 countries, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Israel, and Qatar, as well as many other European countries, to provide a 5-year social media history before they are given entry into the United States.
This new proposal will make the once relatively easy process for those tourists who utilize the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to gain entry into the US more difficult.
The new proposal directly links back to the executive order Trump issued during his first year in office, labeled “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”
Per Engadget:
The US state department will conduct “online presence” reviews for applicants and their dependents and require privacy settings on social media profiles to be made “public.” Applicants must list all the social media handles they’ve used over the last five years and if any information is omitted, it could lead to the denial of current and future visas. The CBP didn’t say what information they were looking for or what could be disqualifying.
The CBP Could Demand Other Information Besides Your Social Media History
Social media posts are not the only information the CBP could demand access to. According to reports, the CBP may require additional information, such as phone numbers and email addresses used over the last five to ten years, as well as information on family members.
While the Trump Administration sees this as another tool in its fight to “strengthen borders,” it could hurt tourism by making the process difficult, increasing ESTA wait times, and making it even more expensive to enforce the proposed policy.
It could also deter tourists from visiting the US, with some potential visitors from Australia telling The Guardian they have already abandoned plans to visit the US for the upcoming World Cup soccer tournament, with one person calling the proposal “horrifying.”
Of course, Donald Trump, who is the living embodiment of the “everything’s fine” meme with the dog sitting at the table as everything burns around him, is not worried.
When asked by a reporter if he was worried about the proposal hurting the US tourism industry, Trump said he was not concerned, adding, “No. We’re doing so well.”
Riggggghhht. This is the same man FIFA gave the “Peace Prize” to, a wannabe authoritarian.
As of now, the CBP has said nothing has changed, and the proposal has not been approved…yet.
While Trump may think this is a good idea, social media is sounding the alarm.
You can see those reactions below.
