The Trump administration has rolled out new visa rules that hit workers involved in online safety, fact-checking, and content moderation. A leaked State Department memo shows that US consular officers will reject visa applicants who have worked in roles linked to “censorship” of protected speech.
Officials will study applicants’ résumés, LinkedIn profiles, and social media activity. They will look for any tasks tied to misinformation control, trust and safety, or compliance work. Those activities can now block visa approval. The policy covers all visa classes, but it mainly targets H-1B applicants from tech-heavy countries such as India.
The administration argues that the move protects free speech. It cites the president’s experience with social media bans after the January 6 Capitol riot. A State Department spokesperson said the government will not allow “foreigners to act as censors” in the US.
Experts say the rule misrepresents trust and safety work. Alice Goguen Hunsberger from PartnerHero said these teams protect children, stop sexual abuse material, and fight scams. She warned that the new approach could harm US users.
The administration has also tightened rules for foreign journalists and removed climate content from federal websites. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will block foreigners who “undermine Americans’ rights.”
