As of March 26, 2025, the Trump administration is pushing a new plan that would make green card holders share their online info when applying for things like permanent residency or citizenship. This rule targets people already living in the U.S. legally with green cards—those permanent resident cards that let you stay and work here. If you’re one of the millions with a green card and you’re applying to become a citizen or adjust your status, you’d need to give up your social media handles. This isn’t new for visa applicants overseas—they’ve had to do it for years. But now, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) wants to expand it to folks already here, as they announced on March 5, 2025.
Why green card holders? Well, the government says it’s about figuring out who you really are and making sure you’re not a risk. But it’s got a lot of people worried—especially those who like to speak their minds online.
What’s the Plan? Handing Over Your Online Life
Here’s the deal: if this goes through, you’d have to list your social media usernames—like @YourName on X or Instagram—when you file your paperwork. USCIS says it’s for “identity checks and national security,” as noted in their March 5 statement. They’re tying it to Trump’s executive order called “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security Threats,” signed on January 20, 2025, his first day back in office.
It’s not just green card holders either. Asylum seekers and others applying for permanent residency would have to do it too. The idea? The government wants to peek at what you’re posting to see if you’re trouble—or at least, that’s what they claim.
The proposal dropped earlier this month, and it’s open for public comments until May 5, 2025. That means anyone can weigh in—and so far, most feedback’s been negative, says The Intercept. It’s happening right now across the U.S., since green card holders live everywhere from California to New York. If it passes, it’ll hit anyone dealing with USCIS, no matter where they’re at.
The timing’s no accident. Trump’s back in charge and doubling down on immigration rules. Just yesterday, March 25, 2025, outlets like Rolling Stone reported on the buzz this is causing.
The official reason? Safety. USCIS told The Independent they need social media to “verify who you are and screen for risks.” Trump’s team says it’s part of stopping threats—like terrorists or criminals sneaking in. They point to cases like Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder detained for being “pro-Hamas,” or Rasha Alawieh, a doctor deported after her phone showed ties to Hezbollah, per TechCrunch. The government thinks your posts might show if you’re up to no good.
But critics aren’t buying it. Groups like the ACLU say it’s about silencing people. “This could scare folks into shutting up online,” Robert McCaw from the Council on American-Islamic Relations told The Intercept. Especially if you’re Muslim or Arab and speak out on issues like Palestine—some worry this is a way to target you.
How’s It Different From Before?
Right now, only people applying for visas from outside the U.S. have to share their social media. This new rule flips that—it’s for people already here, living legally. That’s a big shift. Before, it was about keeping people out. Now, it’s about checking up on those already in. Plus, it’s part of Trump’s bigger immigration crackdown—like mass deportations and tougher border rules—making it feel like no one’s off the hook.
People are fired up. On social media, users are calling it “wrong” and a “free speech grab.” One post from @jdpereira said, “This is wrong, y’all,” while @WATechMillenial noted it’s spreading to all kinds of visa holders too. Civil rights folks agree—Saira Hussain from the Electronic Frontier Foundation told The Intercept that everyone in the U.S., citizen or not, has First Amendment rights. They’re worried this could chill free speech, especially for immigrants who criticize the government or Israel.
The public’s got until May 5 to comment, and so far, it’s mostly thumbs down. Will that stop it? Hard to say—Trump’s team seems set on pushing forward.
This proposal’s shaking things up. If you’re a green card holder, it might mean watching what you say online—or at least handing it over for the government to see. It’s part of Trump’s big plan to tighten immigration, but it’s got people asking: where’s the line between safety and freedom? Keep an eye on this—it’s not final yet, and your voice could still matter.