British tourists could be among the international visitors subject to rigorous social media screening before being granted entry to the US. The mandate proposed by Customs and Border Protection (CPB) could require all foreign tourists, including those who don’t require visas, to provide their social media activity from the last five years. It would be “mandatory” for anyone seeking entry into Donald Trump‘s America to hand over the information, alongside details including email addresses, phone numbers and family contact information.
It follows a number of reports of international travellers being turned away at the US border because of content found on their mobile phones, with a French scientist refused entry in March because of messages “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism”. Brits can currently visit the US for up to 90 days without a visa, but are required to obtain electronic travel authorisation, known as an ESTA, for $40 (£30), which includes disclosure of an email address, home address, phone number and emergency contact details.
CPB has also proposed the inclusion of a selfie and biometrics such as facial, fingerprint DNA and iris recognition in the ESTA.
The proposal, which will be subject to a 90-day consultation, follows the announcement of new measures in June ordering tourists to make their social media accounts public.
The latest demonstration of President Trump’s crackdown on US entry, which has largely focused on immigration and border control, could be implemented before citizens from around the world flood the country for the World Cup and Olympics, both due to be hosted in America in 2026 and 2028 respectively.
Mr Trump also enacted a travel ban on immigration applications from 19 countries judged to be “high risk” earlier this month following the shooting of two national guards in Washington DC, allegedly by an Afghan national.
The ban applies to people from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial New Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, with restricted access for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The US leader has also launched a fierce battle against immigration on home soil, seeking to remove birthright citizenship to anyone born in America to undocumented immigrants and overseeing a number of controversial raids by federal agents, resulting in the detention and deportation of hundreds of thousands of people.
