U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security have drafted a rule that would force visa‑waiver applicants to submit a five‑year social‑media history, recent phone numbers and a decade of email addresses.
Five‑Year Social‑Media History Requirement
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with the Department of Homeland Security, drafted a regulation that would mandate travelers under the Visa‑Waiver Program to provide a record of their social‑media activity for the past five years, recent phone numbers, and email addresses from the previous ten years. The proposal has been published in the Federal Register.
Current ESTA Requirements
Under the existing Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), applicants are required to share limited personal information and pay a one‑time $40 fee. The program is open to citizens of roughly 40 countries, allowing multiple entries within a two‑year period.
Expanded Travel Bans for Security Concerns
As part of broader border‑control measures, officials announced the extension of existing travel bans that previously covered 19 African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean countries. The decision followed a firearms attack on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., and the suspect was an Afghan immigrant.
Trump’s “Third‑World” Migration Suspension
In late November, former President Donald Trump declared a suspension of migration from “all Third‑World countries,” a move that has not yet identified the specific nations affected. The administration also announced an indefinite halt to arrivals from Afghanistan and revised green‑card eligibility for citizens of 19 previously restricted countries, including Iran, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, and Venezuela.
Afghan Shooter’s Past and Asylum
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan immigrant who entered the U.S. in 2021 under an Afghanistan cooperation program, killed a 20‑year‑old Army National Guard soldier, Sarah Beckstrom, and wounded a 24‑year‑old Air Force sergeant, Andrew Wolfe, in Washington, D.C. His asylum application was approved during Trump’s administration, but Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for the incident.
