Since President Trump assumed office earlier this year, he has rolled out various policies aimed at tightening immigration controls. Here’s the most recent instance of that, likely to spark debate (kudos to Aaron for highlighting this)…
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) along with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have just submitted a 60-day notice and request for feedback in the Federal Register, to revise the information gathered from visitors arriving through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). This includes low-risk visitors from multiple nations, spanning from Germany to Japan.
One update that warrants significant attention is as follows:
To align with the January 2025 Executive Order 14161 (Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats), CBP is incorporating social media as a required data element for an ESTA application. This will necessitate that ESTA applicants provide their social media history from the past five years.
As you can observe, with this proposal, submitting five years of social media history will become a customary aspect of the ESTA application procedure. Additional specifics remain unclear, including the extent of information that will need to be disclosed regarding social media (are we merely referring to social media account usernames, or…?).
Previously, we’ve seen the government mandate that foreign nationals must make their social media profiles public when applying for student or work visas. However, requiring this from your typical “low-risk” tourist is an escalation of current policies, which isn’t a stipulation in many other countries.
Traveling to the United States will involve additional stipulations
It’s evident that we all hold our own political views, especially regarding the Trump administration’s stance on immigration and tourism. While my opinions on that are quite clear, what’s my perspective on this particular change? Well, I don’t necessarily have a major issue with it directly, but it appears somewhat absurd to me.
Remember that upon entering a foreign country, you are essentially relinquishing all your rights at the border. For instance, CBP is permitted to scrutinize your phone, examine your social media, read your messages, etc.
Therefore, by requesting this information beforehand, you’re not actually subjecting yourself to any more examination than you could possibly face otherwise. That being said:
– It’s undeniable that this will cause discomfort for many visitors, as the perception of such a request is likely to be poorly received
– For the most part, I can’t envision the government will utilize this information extensively for the typical visitor applying for an ESTA, so it seems rather unnecessary to request it
– If there’s no obligation to make social media accounts public (which would make a lot of people very uncomfortable), it raises the question of what purpose this will serve
– Unlike the legal rights people enjoy while in the United States, visitors may have their ESTA applications denied for virtually any reason, giving the government significant leeway in that regard
My overarching take is that this will deter many, further cementing the negative view that some hold regarding visits to the United States. That said, it’s clear that bolstering tourism isn’t a major focus of the current administration, and that’s appropriate. After all, Trump campaigned on a platform of reducing immigration (well, alongside affordability, but that’s another matter), and that’s what voters supported, so…
These stipulations will unsettle certain visitors
In summary
The United States intends to start soliciting social media details from ESTA applicants, requiring even those from low-risk countries to submit five years of social media history as part of their application.
Ultimately, this wouldn’t be a request for anything that the government couldn’t otherwise demand at the border. However, it’s undeniable that this will likely be met with disapproval, and many will feel uncomfortable.
What are your thoughts on the U.S. requesting social media history from ESTA applicants?