DOS announces new visa-restriction policy for foreign nationals "responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States"

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Original Date Announced
May 28, 2025
Secretary of State Rubio announced a new visa-restriction policy that will apply to "foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States." The policy states that it is “unacceptable” for foreign officials “to issue or threaten arrest warrants on U.S. citizens or U.S. residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on U.S. soil” or to “demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States.” This new policy is pursuant to Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) § 212(a)(3)(C) addressing security-related grounds of inadmissibility.
Trump 2.0 [ID #1778]
2025.05.28 DOS - Visa Restriction Policy Targeting Foreign Nationals Who Censor Americans

None

Status: Final/Actual

Trump Administration Action: Agency Directive

Subject Matter: Immigrant Visas Non-Immigrant Visas

Agencies Affected: DOS

Associated or Derivative Policies

2025.05.29 New York Times - Trump Administration Targets Brazilian Judge for ‘Censorship’

The New York Times reports that the visa-restriction policy appears intended to target Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Judge de Moraes has led a campaign to remove right-wing social-media accounts from the Brazilian internet and ordered U.S.-based platforms like Rumble to block users, which U.S. officials argue infringes on free speech. Secretary of State Rubio also suggested potential sanctions against Judge de Moraes under the Global Magnitsky Act, a measure typically reserved for serious human rights violations or corruption.
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