How is Your Social Media Being Used Against You, As An Immigrant to the United States
Immigration attorney, Andres Mejer, reviewed 9 different impediments to US immigration in 2019. #5 is a HUGE one we all must be aware of. The US Government wants to know all your social media and email information to review when you’re applying for a visa or other immigration benefit.
Transcript (Transcripción):
Andres Mejer :Number five is reviews, social media of citizenship and visa applicants. Now, we probably talked about how the Department of State is asking for your last five years of email addresses and social media handles. We’ve also talked about how Customs Border Patrol is asking for your phone and laptop when you enter the United States. They want to see what’s in your stuff. Do they have a right to it? I don’t think so. But they believe that they do. The government will, now and parts of this have been stopped, but the government will expand this to every application. If allowed to do so. And look, in some cases, I think it’s appropriate. Think about what you post on Facebook. If you if you’re on their daily. That’s a lot of material for officers to evaluate and compare with your petition and you’re putting it in the public’s field. So imagine what happens if you frequently go to bars. Maybe you’re a drunk. That’s the Now censorship. What happens if you’ve traveled to the states or you’ve made comments on marijuana use? Well, maybe you’re a drug user. That’s still a crime, a federal crime. Maybe we can deny you that way. Hey, did you married but not update your status in social media to marry? Why not? Maybe your marriages is invalid. You have lots of pictures on social media with people of the opposite sex that aren’t your partner or your siblings. Maybe your marriage is a sham. Do your posts and locations not match the addresses on your petition? Hey, if you said you lived in New Jersey the past 10 years and every photo on Facebook is in Connecticut. Huh? Well, that’s weird. How did that happen? Let me give you another one. What happens if you have friends that have anti-American views? Well, maybe you’re a terrorist. If you recall, we talked about what? We talked about the social media in August, we talked about a Palestinian that wanted they got a full ride to Harvard and wanted them to United States. They reviewed it. What’s up? Application and found post anti-government post, anti U.S. post by someone in his Whats Up group. Now, listen, I don’t want terrorists in United States anymore than anybody else. But should the government have access to that? I think in some cases maybe it’s appropriate, maybe it’s gone too far. One thing’s for sure. Be very careful what you post on social media because it is a tool. And I honestly think it’s a tool that the government should have access to. Now, is it going to make my life more complicated? Hell, yeah. Is going to make your life more complicated. Absolutely. But given where we are in society today, given the threats that we face, I think the government has the right to review what you’re posting in the public sphere when you’re applying for your Green Card, when you’re applying for a visa. I think it’s appropriate that they request that information and get to evaluate it before they give you a visa. No, I don’t think they should have the right to search what you have and your phones and your contacts when you’re disembarking an airplane. That I don’t think is appropriate. But. They’re going to use it. And there’s a lot of stuff there. So be careful.
