U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced it will begin screening immigrants' social media for evidence of antisemitic activity as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin examining the social media behavior of immigrants seeking benefits, including those applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students, and those affiliated with educational institutions "linked to antisemitic activity." The guidance becomes effective immediately, according to the announcement, Reuters reported.

The announcement came after a notice last month regarding a Department of Homeland Security proposal to gather social media handles from anyone applying for benefits such as green cards or citizenship in accordance with Trump's executive order. The public and federal agencies have until May 5 to submit feedback.

Since Trump took office, there have been a growing number of attempted deportations against foreign-born students who joined pro-Palestinian protests or expressed criticism of Israel, according to Reuters.

The agency stated that while adjudicating immigration benefit claims, it will examine social media information that "endorses, espouses, promotes, or supports antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor."

USCIS defines extremists and terrorist aliens as individuals who support "antisemitic terrorism, violent antisemitic ideologies and antisemitic terrorist organizations." It specifically mentions Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.