US Announces Expanded Vetting For H-1B Visa Applicants Against Censorship Of Free Speech
Washington, D.C, United States: US President Donald Trump has announced expanded screening and vetting for H-1B and dependent H-4 visa applicants against censorship of free speech.
Declaring the added vetting of applicants for H-1B visas for highly skilled workers, the State Department memo stated that anyone involved in “censorship” of free speech be considered for rejection.
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The memo was sent to all U.S. missions on Tuesday, and it ordered the US consular officers to review resumes or LinkedIn profiles of H-1B applicants — and family members who would be traveling with them — to see if they have worked in areas that include activities such as misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety, among others.
H-1B visas allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty fields. The visa is important for U.S. tech companies, which recruit heavily from countries including India and China, and many of those companies’ leaders threw their support behind Trump in the last presidential election.
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In its statement, it stressed that the State Department uses all available information in visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety. It further stated that the department conduct through vetting of all visa applicants, including online presence review of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission. A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the statement added.
