Tillerson orders U.S. embassies to go through Facebook and Twitter profiles of visa applicants – and make a list of specific ‘populations’ to undergo tougher review
In newly released memos issued by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, embassies have been given a labor-intensive set of visa screening guidelines
Tillerson ordered social media checks for applicants who have ever been in Islamic State territory
He also told staff to identify ‘populations warranting increased scrutiny’ and to toughen screening for those groups
Immigration attorneys and advocates, however, warn the latter move will ‘broaden the search to large groups based on gross factors such as nationality and religion’
AMANDA ULRICH
DAILYMAIL.COM
24 March 2017
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has directed U.S. diplomatic missions to identify ‘populations warranting increased scrutiny’ and toughen screening for visa applicants in those groups, according to newly released diplomatic cables.
He has also ordered a ‘mandatory social media check’ for all applicants who have ever been present in territory controlled by the Islamic State, in what two former U.S. officials said would be a broad, labor-intensive expansion of the current screening process.
Social media screening is now done fairly rarely by consular officials, one of the former officials said.
Four cables, or memos, issued by Tillerson over the last two weeks provide insight into how the government is implementing what President Donald Trump has called ‘extreme vetting’ of foreigners entering the United States, a major campaign promise.
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