Trump Administration Imposes Stricter H-1B Visa Vetting to Screen Applicants for “Censorship” Activities

The Trump administration has unveiled a new round of enhanced vetting for H-1B visa applicants, directing U.S. consular officers to scrutinize the employment histories and online profiles of skilled foreign workers and their accompanying family members. According to an internal State Department cable dated December 2, applicants who have worked in fields such as content moderation, misinformation tracking, fact-checking, compliance, or online safety may be flagged for potential rejection if found to have participated in what the U.S. deems censorship of protected speech.

The cable instructs officers to thoroughly review resumes and LinkedIn profiles to determine whether applicants were “responsible for, or complicit in,” restricting free expression in the United States. The guidance applies to all visa categories but calls for heightened scrutiny of H-1B applicants, particularly those in the tech and social media sectors, which the administration accuses of suppressing conservative viewpoints. A State Department spokesperson said the United States “does not support aliens coming to work as censors,” referencing past instances in which President Trump’s own social media accounts were restricted.

The new directive marks another escalation in the administration’s broader effort to link immigration policy with its free-speech agenda. It follows previous actions such as expanded social media screening for student visas and increased fees for H-1B applications. U.S. officials have also criticized European governments over what they describe as censorship of right-leaning political voices. The move reflects ongoing tensions around online content moderation, with the administration asserting that foreign workers should not be placed in roles that could influence public speech in the United States.

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