The Trump administration has rolled out internal guidance instructing immigration officers to deny green cards to applicants who express certain political views. The policy specifically flags criticism of Israel, participation in pro-Palestine protests, and acts like flag desecration as grounds for rejecting lawful permanent residency.
Donald Trump’s administration reportedly issued guidance on green card
The materials, distributed last month to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers, outline scenarios that would trigger escalated review of a green card application. Posting “Stop Israeli Terror in Palestine” alongside a crossed-out Israeli flag on social media is cited as a disqualifying example. Holding a sign advocating the overthrow of the U.S. government also makes the list, according to training materials reviewed by The New York Times.
Immigration officers are now required to refer cases involving “potential Anti-American and/or antisemitic conduct or ideology” to supervisors and the general counsel’s office. The directive builds on an August announcement that USCIS would revise how it evaluates immigrant benefit requests, which grant the right to live and work in the country. “America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies,” a USCIS spokesman said at the time.
Additionally, USCIS spokesman Zach Kahler defended the current guidance in a statement to People. “If you hate America, you have no business demanding to live in America,” Kahler said. “Citizenship or a green card are both privileges reserved for individuals who respect and uphold the principles upon which this nation is founded, and evaluating aliens based on their own words and actions is both fair and reasonable,” he added.
The green card policy comes alongside other administration actions targeting foreign nationals over speech related to Israel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked visas held by pro-Palestine activists. In December, the U.S. was considering requiring tourist visa applicants from dozens of countries to provide five years of social media history. Donald Trump has publicly endorsed the enforcement posture.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
