US immigrants may soon need to share social media details with USCIS

Applying for a green card? You may soon have to provide your social media information on your immigration application. In a notice published in the Federal Register on March 5, 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it will require millions of immigrants seeking benefits ranging from green cards to citizenship to provide social media details on their applications.

 

DHS plans to collect social media identifiers (“handles”) on nine immigration forms under Executive Order 14161, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," signed by President Trump on January 20, 2025. The order directs federal agencies to strengthen immigration screening and vetting procedures. It reinstates some policies from the previous Trump administration and requires a review of visa and immigration policies for security risks.

 

 

According to the notice, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will collect social media handles but not passwords to verify applicants’ identities and assess security or public safety risks.

 

Forms affected

The new requirement applies to nine forms:

 

N-400 (application for naturalization)

I-131 (application for travel document)

I-192 (application for advance permission to enter as nonimmigrant)

I-485 (application for adjustment of status)

I-589 (application for asylum and for withholding of removal)

I-590 (registration for classification as refugee)

I-730 (refugee/asylee relative petition)

I-751 (petition to remove conditions on residence)

I-829 (petition by investor to remove conditions on permanent resident status)

 

USCIS estimates this proposal would affect over 3.5 million applicants annually. The public has 60 days to submit comments on the proposal via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. DHS will review feedback before deciding whether to implement, modify, or withdraw the rule.

 

Social media monitoring in immigration applications

  USCIS officers have monitored social media for years to detect fraud in applications for visas, green cards, and citizenship.

 

Changes over the years:

 

2016: USCIS created a Social Media Division within its Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate.

2017: The Trump administration introduced “extreme vetting,” expanding social media checks for visa applicants. DHS issued a notice confirming the collection and storage of social media information.

2019: The Department of State made social media disclosure mandatory for visa applicants.

2021: The scope expanded to include international platforms from China and Russia.

2025: Executive Order 14161 formally expands social media data collection to nine immigration forms.

 

Law enforcement has always used social media for investigations, but the scale of systematic collection is now much broader.

 

Is it a US govt overreach?

 

The policy has reignited debates about surveillance and data privacy.

 

"Posts may be interpreted for intent or affiliations, yet subjective analysis risks misinterpretation, infringing on First Amendment rights of the US Constitution. Data retention, likely perpetual in A-Files per DHS precedent, lacks clear statutory limits, challenging Fourth Amendment protections and potentially enabling perpetual surveillance," Sindhuja Kashyap, partner at King Stubb & Kasiva, Advocates and Attorneys told Business Standard.

 

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, expression, and association. Kashyap pointed out that analysing social media posts for intent or affiliations could lead to misinterpretation, potentially violating free speech rights.

 

The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Storing personal data indefinitely in A-Files (immigration files maintained by DHS) could raise concerns about privacy and government overreach.

 

"Guidelines for flagging—possibly tied to national security or fraud—remain undefined, inviting arbitrary enforcement and potential discrimination. Without transparent standards or appeal mechanisms, due process is undermined, disproportionately impacting vulnerable immigrants. Given its potential to chill free speech and disproportionately impact certain groups, this policy demands strict judicial oversight, transparency, and due process safeguards," Kashyap said.

 

DHS has not clarified how it will choose or store the collected information. The agency has stated it will include search results, social media handles, aliases, and “associated information” in an immigrant’s file.

 

How will this impact Indian applicants?

 

The policy, if implemented, will apply to all immigrants, including those from India.

 

"This policy, focused on national security and identity verification, may lead to scrutiny of their online activities," Ketan Mukhija, senior partner at Burgeon Law told Business Standard.

 

USCIS officers monitor social media for:

 

Fraud detection: Discrepancies between social media activity and application details.

Security threats: Links to terrorist organisations, extremist views, or threats to public safety.

Relationship verification: Authenticity of family-based immigration applications.

Employment verification: Checking LinkedIn and other platforms for work history and qualifications.

Identity verification: Ensuring applicants’ social media matches their official documents.

Character assessment: Posts that may indicate unlawful activities or poor moral character.

Immigration violations: Evidence of unauthorised employment or visa breaches.

Consistency: Ensuring that online information aligns with immigration applications.

 

If officers find potentially relevant content, applicants may be questioned during interviews, asked to provide additional evidence, or face denial of benefits. Discrepancies could result in a Notice of Intent to Deny or other legal actions.

 

"To protect themselves legally, immigrants should be cautious about their social media presence, ensuring privacy settings are restrictive and avoiding any posts that could be misinterpreted as threatening or fraudulent. Additionally, Indian immigrants can protect themselves by maintaining accurate and consistent documentation, ensuring that their social media profiles align with the information provided in their immigration applications to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations," Mukhija said.