The US has tightened its H-1B visa checks, telling officers to look carefully at whether an applicant has been involved in censoring free speech. The new rules apply to both first-time and repeat applicants, as well as their family members.
According to an internal State Department cable sent to all U.S. missions, officials must review resumes and LinkedIn profiles of H-1B applicants to determine if they worked in areas such as misinformation control, content moderation, fact-checking, or online safety.
If officers find evidence that an applicant helped censor protected speech in the United States, they are instructed to consider the person ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
A State Department spokesperson said the administration does not want “foreigners coming to the United States to work as censors.”
The cable notes that many H-1B holders work in the technology sector, including social media and financial services, and stresses that officers must “thoroughly explore their employment histories.”
This move follows earlier steps, including tighter scrutiny of student visa applicants’ social media activity and new fees imposed on H-1B visas in September.
Senior Republicans, including Senator Marco Rubio, have also advocated visa bans for individuals they believe censor American speech.
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