Three labor unions sued the Trump administration over alleged First Amendment violations of visa holders. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Administration officials have purported that foreigners do not have the same constitutional rights as U.S. citizens and do not have a right to hold a visa, as the federal government seeks to target them for speech.
"The United States is under no obligation to allow foreign aliens to come to our country, commit acts of anti-American, pro-terrorist, and antisemitic hate, or incite violence. We will continue to revoke the visas of those who put the safety of our citizens at risk," State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
The lawsuit points to high-profile cases and the comments of federal officials to argue that a government program uses artificial intelligence and other automated tools for surveillance of visa holders' posts and targets people critical of the Trump administration and what the government considers to be "hateful ideology."
The federal government has broadly defined support for terrorism to include criticism of U.S. support for Israel and the Jewish State's military action, as well as support for Palestinians. The government has used this as a justification to cancel visas.
FEDERAL JUDGE LAUNCHES SCATHING BROADSIDE OF TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO DEPORT PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS
The federal government has broadly defined support for terrorism to include criticism of U.S. support for Israel. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, the administration has searched for online posts to target foreigners for the potential rescinding of their visa.
On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order to ensure visa holders "do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to our national security."
Over the summer, the State Department said it would start requesting that applicants make their social media accounts public for government monitoring and that interviews with applicants would determine who may pose a threat to national security.
Reuters contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/labor-unions-sue-trump-administration-over-social-media-monitoring-visa-holders