‘You are not welcome here:' Donald Trump administration to deny immigration benefits for ‘antisemitic activities’

The Donald Trump administration will deny immigration benefits for antisemitic activity on social media and harassment of Jews, a federal agency announcement on Wednesday stated.

“Today, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin considering aliens’ antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests,” the federal agency said.

The order comes into effect immediately, and the social media activities of immigrants who request benefits, including those who apply for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and people affiliated with educational institutions, will be verified.

The agency will consider social media content that indicates “endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organisations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor” while granting immigration benefits.

Who are extremists?

To describe extremists, USCIS referred to those who support “antisemitic terrorism, violent antisemitic ideologies and antisemitic terrorist organisations. It also named Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.

“There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “Sec. Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-Semitic violence and terrorism – think again. You are not welcome here.”

The latest order comes after a notice from the Department of Homeland Security was released stating that social media handles of people applying for benefits such as green cards or citizenship would be collected. This notice raised concerns from immigration and free speech advocates as it was seen as a measure to expand the government's reach in social media surveillance.

However, the practice of social media surveillance for immigration is in place for more than a decade since Barack Obama's second term as the US President.

After Donald Trump entered the White House in January, there have been increasing attempts to deport foreign students who supported pro-Palestinian protests or expressed criticism of Israel.