Visa Applicants To The US To Submit Social Media Passwords During Screening

John Kelly, United States Homeland Security Secretary, has said visa applicants to the US may be asked for their social media passwords by US embassies during screening.

According to Kelly who made the declaration on Tuesday at a hearing of the Homeland Security Committee, the move was necessary due to an ongoing effort to tighten the screening of visitors and to weed out people who may pose security threats.

Kelly was quoted as saying that the development

"is one of the steps being considered, especially for visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries with very weak background screening of their own such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. We’re looking at some enhanced or some additional screening. We may want to get on their social media, with passwords. 

"It’s very hard to truly vet these people in these countries, the seven countries. But if they come in, we want to say, what websites do they visit, and give us your passwords. So we can see what they do on the internet. 

Anyone who refuses to cooperate would not be allowed into the United States. No decision has been made but tighter screening would be implemented, even if it means longer delays for awarding US visas to visitors. These are the things we are thinking about. But over there, we can ask them for this kind of information and if they truly want to come to America, then they will cooperate. If not, next in line."

The latest development comes after President, Donald Trump banned signed an executive order preventing citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries – Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from migrating to the US.

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