The Department of Homeland Security is doubling down on their electronic monitoring of social media accounts belonging to immigrants.¹

And that’s all immigrants: green card holders and naturalized citizens, too.²

We’re partnering with Presente – the largest Latinx online organization advancing social justice with technology, media, and culture – to tell the Homeland Security to cease and desist immediately. The deadline for public comments is October 18th. 

Tell Homeland Security: Stop spying on immigrants’ social media accounts.

Homeland Security announced this policy earlier this week, and privacy and immigration advocates raised concerns. Then Homeland Security back-pedaled by saying that they’ve already been monitoring the social media of all immigrants since 2012.³

When it comes to surveillance, the Department of Homeland Security has been on the razor’s edge of unnecessary and invasive tracking of immigrants at the US border and airports, from searching through cell phones to capturing biometric data, and, soon, collecting DNA samples.

Monitoring the social media accounts of all immigrants in the U.S. is one of many steps taken too far. Further, this will enshrine a terrifying “new normal” for our nation’s immigrants – creating a hostile online environment where anything you say on social media can be documented in your immigration file.

Demand Progress and Presente are teaming up to tell Homeland Security to shut down social media surveillance immediately. Will you join us?

Tell Homeland Security to stop spying on immigrants’ social media accounts.

 

Sources:
1. Gizmodo, "US Homeland Security Will Start Collecting Social Media Info on All Immigrants October 18th [Updated]," September 28, 2017.
2. Buzzfeed, "People Are Worried About DHS Plans To Gather Social Media Info," September 28, 2017.
3. Gizmodo, "US Homeland Security Says Tracking Social Media of Immigrants is Nothing New," September 28, 2017.