Trump admin moves to toughen visa-seeker questions

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed measures to make the process of vetting applicants for U.S. visas tougher, including more invasive questions, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

State Department screeners could seek applicants’ social media handles and email addresses under the proposal, which would also let them press for information about children, siblings and a detailed travel history.

Applicants could specifically be asked for 15 years of addresses, employment history and travel history, and funding sources for their travel.

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The measure would “more rigorously evaluate applicants for terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities,” a notice in the Federal Register said.

President Trump has repeatedly called for “extreme vetting” of foreign visitors and visa applicants as a way to combat terrorist activity.

Thursday’s proposal implements part of Trump’s controversial executive order signed in March, which banned travelers and refugees from six Muslim-majority nations from entering the U.S.

The travel ban was put on hold by legal challenges, but other parts, including tougher vetting measures, were allowed to proceed.