The Donald Trump administration has told US embassy officials to reject visa applications of foreign nationals who have worked as fact-checkers, content moderators, or in online safety roles, a decision with potentially significant implications for Indian technology professionals. Targeting visa applicants who have been involved in activities that the administration has determined equate to “censorship” of American speech, the policy was revealed in a State Department memo obtained by Reuters.
What the New Visa Policy Entails
A memo by the State Department directs consular officials to deny visa applications for anyone deemed “responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States.”
The new rule applies to all visa categories, but is likely to particularly affect applications for tourist, journalist and especially for H-1B visas. H-1B visas are usually granted to highly qualified foreign workers in technology and other related fields.
The work history, social media activities, and LinkedIn profiles of applicants will be carefully scrutinised. Anyone found to have participated in fact-checking, content moderation, trust and safety, compliance, or combating misinformation may have their entry to the U.S. rejected.
Why Indians are likely to be most impacted?
India has been one of the largest suppliers of the H-1B visa recipients in the country, especially in technology and IT services. Many Indian professionals work for American tech companies in roles encompassing online safety, content moderation, and fact-checking.
Indian professionals in these fields stand to face increased visa rejections under the new Trump administration directive, as it will be more difficult to recruit them to work in the U.S. The scrutiny will extend to professional histories, references in media coverage, and social media profiles, possibly affecting a wide range of skilled workers in careers devoted to protecting online users.
Trust and Safety Mistaken for Censorship
Industry experts have criticized the policy for confusing necessary trust and safety work with censorship. Alice Goguen Hunsberger, Vice President of Trust and Safety at PartnerHero, told NPR, “Trust and safety work is a broad practice which includes critical and lifesaving work to protect children, prevent fraud, scams, and sextortion. Having global workers in trust and safety absolutely keeps Americans safer.”
Critics also argue that the U.S. might inadvertently weaken online safety by branding the roles as censorship, thus leaving Americans open to content which foreign professionals have been trained to remove.
Historical Context of Visa Restrictions
The Trump administration has a history of limiting visas of foreigners in sensitive sectors. Earlier this year, the government limited visas for foreign journalists, removed references to climate change from government websites and took legal action against media organizations. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country.”
This newest policy is part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to reduce legal immigration and double down on its message of “protecting American free speech” from foreign influence.
Economic and Workforce Implications
The directive could have economic consequences for the U.S., particularly in the tech sector. Experts say restricting visas to highly skilled professionals may lead to a talent shortage and reduction in the pace of innovation.
In September, the Trump administration implemented a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa applicants-a move analysts said would ultimately hurt economic growth and push skilled workers to other countries. This new policy targeting fact-checkers and content moderators could make things even worse, particularly for Indian IT professionals, who form a significant portion of the workforce in this domain.
Global Impact Beyond India
While Indian professionals are expected to feel the immediate impact of this directive, it could affect other countries implementing online safety laws, such as the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023. Officials enforcing rules against harmful online content may also face denials under this new U.S. policy.
The Trump administration promoted the policy as a means of defending free speech, invoking the president’s own bans from social media in the wake of the January 6 riot at the Capitol. Critics contend it undermines global efforts to address online threats, from child sexual abuse material to antisemitism and cybercrime.
A Controversial Move with Far-Reaching Effects The move by the Trump administration to ban visas for fact-checkers, content moderators, and online safety professionals was a controversial shift in the way the U.S. handled immigration. For Indian technology workers, it means significant hurdles in working in the U.S. and could ultimately affect careers and international collaboration in the technology and online safety sectors.
Experts caution that the policy could backfire by lessening the global workforce available to protect Americans from online harms, while critics say it politicizes critical digital safety roles. As consular officials start applying the new vetting standards, the international tech and journalism worlds will watch with great interest.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
