Full List: Social Media Posts That Can Lead to Deportation in US and Revocation of Visa
- Foreign nationals in the United States have been warned that their social media activity could now play a decisive role in immigration outcomes
- The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State introduced screening and surveillance programmes targeting specific posts
- Officials confirmed that these measures could lead to visa revocations, deportation proceedings, or refusal of admission into the country
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The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had begun screening social media accounts of foreign nationals when reviewing immigration benefits applications.
These applications included admission into the US and permanent resident status.
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The screenings applied to:
- F-1 students and F-2 dependents
- J-1 and J-2 dependents
- Nonimmigrant visa categories such as H-1B, TN, and O-1
- WB/WT (ESTA) travellers
- Those granted TPS or DACA status
- Applicants for affirmative immigration relief, and
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders).
Officials stated that DHS is monitoring for activities deemed antisemitic, including harassment of Jewish people, support for antisemitic terrorism, violent ideologies, and organisations such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and Ansar Allah (the Houthis).
Enforcement actions reported in the media included refusal of admission, detention, and deportation proceedings.
US Department of State's visa revocation programme
Separately, the US Department of State (DOS) is running a surveillance programme called 'Catch and Revoke', using AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of visa holders’ social media accounts to identify political activity or behaviour considered harmful to US foreign policy.
Visa revocations were carried out under DOS’s prudential revocation authority based on suspected ineligibility, including derogatory information from other agencies, with revocations extending beyond antisemitic activity to arrests or convictions for offences such as DUIs.
Foreign nationals reported receiving emails informing them of visa revocation and urging voluntary departure, and these messages warned that remaining in the US could lead to arrest and deportation.
Officials clarified that visa revocation did not automatically affect lawful status, but in some cases, it could serve as grounds for removal proceedings.
Recommendations for foreign nationals in the US
Legal experts advised foreign nationals to be cautious with social media activity, including posts, reposts, and 'likes', as these could be misinterpreted by government officials.
They also recommended reviewing electronic device content and seeking legal advice if arrests or convictions had occurred, even if pardoned or deferred.
The USC Gould Immigration Clinic’s Immigrant Legal Assistance Center (ILAC) is offering free, confidential consultations and legal assistance to members of its Trojan Family, including students, staff, faculty, contract employees, and immediate family members who might be at risk of deportation or who have questions about their legal status.
Source: Twitter
US to deport 97 Nigerians, releases list
Legit.ng earlier reported that the US Department of Homeland Security had announced that 18 Nigerians had been added to its deportation list, bringing the total number of individuals set for removal to 97.
The update was contained in a statement published on the DHS website on February 10, 2026, with the arrests part of a coordinated crackdown led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
The agency explained that the new names were included under its expanded nationwide enforcement operation across several American states, targeting immigrants convicted of any serious crimes.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
