Trump orders agencies to deny green cards for criticizing Israel

this Trump administration The directive said green card applicants would be scrutinized for anti-American and “anti-Semitic” views and could be denied a green card for making critical comments. Israel They participated in pro-Palestinian protests and desecrated the American flag on social media, according to internal Department of Homeland Security training materials reviewed by The New York Times.

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The directive criticized Israel as a factor in disqualifying immigrants for green cards. Documents reviewed by The New York Times show examples of questionable rhetoric, including a social media post that declared “Stop Israeli terror in Palestine” and showed the Israeli flag crossed out. Critics of the Trump administration’s move say the administration is conflating opposition to Israeli government policies with anti-Semitism.

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These materials were distributed to USCIS immigration officials last month (immigration office).

Immigration officials have significant power in deciding whether to grant foreigners long-term permanent residence in the United States. Factors typically considered include criminal history, national security threats, family ties to the United States, and employment history. Traditionally, ideology has also been one of these factors. In some cases, U.S. law prohibits officials from issuing green cards to people who belong to the Communist or other “totalitarian” parties.