The Trump administration on Wednesday (December 3, 2025) announced increased vetting of applicants for H-1B visas for highly skilled workers, with an internal State Department memo saying that anyone involved in “censorship” of free speech be considered for rejection.
H-1B visas, which allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty fields, are crucial for U.S. tech companies which recruit heavily from countries including India and China. Many of those companies’ leaders threw their support behind Mr. Trump in the last presidential election.
The cable, sent to all U.S. missions on Tuesday (December 2), orders U.S. consular officers to review resumes or LinkedIn profiles of H-1B applicants — and family members who would be traveling with them — to see if they have worked in areas that include activities such as misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety, among others.
Countries creating roadblocks in flow of talents across borders will be 'net losers': Jaishankar on issues linked to immigration, H-1B visas
“If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible,” under a specific article of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the cable said.
