Support requiring social media and open-source screening of visa applicants to improve national security vetting.

S.1757 included social media review of visa applicants and open-source screening provisions.

Cornyn's bill proposed expanding visa-vetting checks using social media and open-source information.

Text - S.1757 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Building America's Trust Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
secondary · other · model gpt-5.5

Executive Order 14161 directed agencies to strengthen vetting and screening for foreign nationals seeking admission, focused on national-security and public-safety threats.

The current administration created an official framework for expanded national-security vetting of foreign nationals, but the order itself does not specifically require social-media or open-source review for all visa applicants.

partial same_term

Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 86%

Politico reported that U.S. diplomats were directed to screen the social media and online presence of all F, M, and J student or exchange-visitor visa applicants for national-security indicators.

This is concrete implementation of social-media and broader online-presence screening, but it applies to student and exchange-visitor categories rather than all visa applicants.

partial same_term

State Department unveils social media screening rules for all student visa applicants
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

Business Insider reported that, beginning December 15, 2025, consular officers would conduct online-presence reviews for all H-1B applicants and H-4 dependents and require public social-media profiles.

The policy expanded social-media and online-presence review from student and exchange categories to a major work-visa category, further partially delivering the commitment.

partial same_term

The US will now review H-1B applicants' social media and require them to make profiles public, State Department says
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 87%

The Washington Post reported that the State Department announced expanded H-1B and H-4 screening, including online-presence review, and described resulting visa-appointment disruptions.

Follow-on reporting indicates the H-1B/H-4 online-presence screening was operationally affecting applicants, supporting partial delivery rather than merely an announced plan.

partial same_term

H-1B workers flew to India to renew U.S. visas. Now they're stuck.
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 82%

The Guardian reported that the State Department paused new F, M, and J visa interview slots while preparing expanded social-media screening, and noted applicants had provided social-media identifiers since 2019.

This shows the transition from collecting social-media identifiers to expanded screening for student and exchange-visitor applicants, but still not a statutory all-visa-applicant requirement attributable to Cornyn.

partial same_term

Trump administration orders US embassies to stop student visa interviews
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 80%

The Federal Register proclamation implemented entry restrictions based on country-level screening and vetting deficiencies identified after the January 2025 executive order.

This supports broader national-security vetting action in the same policy area, but it is not itself a social-media or open-source screening requirement, so it only supports partial delivery.

partial same_term

Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals To Protect the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 78%