The Trump administration has introduced a controversial directive requiring U.S. immigration officials to consider “anti-Americanism” when evaluating applications for visas, permanent residency, and naturalization. The move has raised alarms among rights advocates who warn that it could have far-reaching implications for free speech and political expression.
In a policy alert issued on Tuesday, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that immigration officers had been given new guidelines on exercising discretion in cases involving foreign nationals who “support or promote anti-American ideologies or activities” as well as “antisemitic terrorism.”
President Donald Trump has previously described a variety of groups and individuals as anti-American, including historians and museums documenting the history of slavery in the United States, as well as pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
“Anti-American activity will be an overwhelmingly negative factor in any discretionary analysis,” USCIS stated in its alert.
“America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies.”
Although the announcement did not provide a clear definition of anti-Americanism, the agency pointed to a section of federal law that bars naturalization for individuals “opposed to government or law, or who favor totalitarian forms of government.” The statute also lists supporters of communism or totalitarian regimes, those advocating the overthrow of the U.S. government, and individuals endorsing violence against government officials.
USCIS further disclosed that it has broadened social media vetting for multiple categories of immigration applications, with reviews now extended to detect potential “anti-American activity.”
Critics compared the measure to Cold War-era political repression. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said the new policy resembles the actions of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s, who spearheaded a campaign targeting alleged communists.
“McCarthyism returns to immigration law,” he remarked, adding that anti-Americanism “has no prior precedent in immigration law and its definition is entirely up to the Trump admin.”
Earlier in April, the U.S. government had already announced plans to monitor the social media accounts of immigrants and visa applicants for what it defined as antisemitic activity. That decision also prompted rights organizations to voice concerns about surveillance overreach and the potential erosion of free expression.
