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The plan outlines a requirement for travelers from dozens of visa-waiver countries to provide five years of social media history.
A sweeping proposal from the Trump administration could soon add a significant new hurdle for millions of visitors entering the United States.
According to a notice published in the Federal Register and reported by NBC News, Sky News, The Guardian, and others, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wants the information to become a compulsory part of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, the online approval that replaces a visa for citizens of 42 nations.
Those include the United Kingdom, Germany, and other countries whose residents typically enjoy rapid entry for short-term visits.
When the news first broke, outlets reported that the plan was to include all visitors in the social-media check, but it turns out to be aimed only at visitors from 42 nations.
Not the only info collected
It is unclear what the CBP would be looking for in the social-media history, but visitors’ presence on Facebook, Instagram, X, and others is not the only thing the CBP wants to examine more closely.
In the notice, the agency also proposes collecting additional data, such as phone numbers, email addresses used over the past five years, and details about close relatives.
These add-ons reflect a broader tightening of entry checks since Donald Trump returned to the White House, continuing themes that shaped his earlier presidential campaigns.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told NBC News the proposal remains preliminary, and officials have not clarified how applicants would be expected to submit their social-media records.
Security framing
In a statement to NBC News, CBP described the notice as the beginning of a policy discussion, saying it seeks tools “to keep the American people safe.”
The agency linked its renewed scrutiny to a recent attack in Washington, D.C., in which two National Guard members were shot; an Afghan national has been charged and has pleaded not guilty.
The public will have 60 days to comment before the measure can advance. If adopted, the rules would take effect as the U.S. prepares to host FIFA World Cup events next year, likely increasing arrivals from Europe and elsewhere.
The administration has also announced further restrictions on legal immigration following the Washington attack, underscoring how national-security concerns continue to redefine U.S. entry policies.
Sources: NBC News, Federal Register, Sky News, The Guardian
