The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency wants to check travelers entering the country for the past 5 years of passports
Statue of Liberty in the USA. Photo credit: Sergi Reboredo / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Officials of the US Customs and Border Protection agency want to obtain authorization to compel tourists entering the US to provide them with social media posts from the last five years, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced, according to DPA and Agerpres.
The 11-page draft was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday for public consultation for 60 days and is not yet binding.
That requirement would apply to social platforms like TikTok, X and Instagram.
All tourists entering the US with ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) will be affected.
ESTA facilitates visa-free travel for citizens of more than 40 countries, allowing them to stay for up to 90 days.
DHS says it is establishing the new procedure to comply with the January 2025 executive order to “Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other Threats to National Security and Public Safety.”
Mandatory verification of social media posts is part of a broader package that will regulate the collection of data on people entering and leaving the US.
The United States Embassy in Bucharest announces that it will also check the social media accounts of student visa applicants and ask them to make their profiles “public”
The US Embassy in an EU country requires all social media account names to validate the visa application
In August it was learned that the administration had expanded checks on visa holders.
According to the Washington Post, millions of people already in the US have been checked, with special attention being paid to their online presence, with a view to revoking their visas if there is evidence of overstaying or criminal activity.
Separately, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced checks on potential immigrants for possible “anti-American” comments on the Internet.
