State Dept orders stricter screening for visa applicants

quote:

---

The Trump administration added new security checks in the vetting process for non-citizens seeking visas, the New York Times reported Thursday.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent official cables last week to every American embassy abroad ordering embassy officials to step up their scrutiny of visa applications, including asking applicants more detailed questions about their past and combing through their social media history to see if they visited areas that are hotbeds for terrorist activity.

This vetting measure would apply to visa applicants who are coming to the U.S. for tourist-related reasons, relatives of American residents planning a visit, and those traveling to the U.S. on business.

---

quote:

---

“Consular officers should not hesitate to refuse any case presenting security concerns,” Tillerson wrote in the cables, dated mid-March. “All visa decisions are national security decisions."

---