Must South African refugee applicants make their social media profiles public?
Are refugee status candidates included? The US Embassy has directed certain visa applicants to make their social media accounts public.
South African applicants for the US refugee status programme are questioning whether a recent directive requiring public access to social media accounts applies to them.
Last week, the US Embassy informed visa applicants that it would expand screening and vetting to include their online activity.
According to reports, 1000 Afrikaners will be resettled in the US by September as part of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
VISA APPLICANTS TO MAKE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES PUBLIC
Last week, the US Embassy instructed all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas to set their social media profiles to “public” as part of a broader vetting process that now includes online activity.
These visas, meant for students, are strictly for educational purposes and do not permit long-term stays in the country.
WHAT ABOUT ‘REFUGEE’ APPLICANTS?
US intelligence expert Chris Wyatt stated that the social media clause issued by the US Embassy does not apply to refugee applicants.
He said in a clip posted on social media: “Unless you’re told by the Refugee Assistance Programme that you need to open it so they can see it, it’s not something that affects you”.
He continued: “Relax, take a deep breath. It’s all going to be fine. Do not panic”.
Wyatt added that there was a possibility that authorities would want to screen social media profiles in selected cases.
He added: “As a former federal law enforcement official, I would definitely want to be looking at people’s social media when I’m trying to determine whether they’re the right sort of people to come to America.
“Regardless of what programme they’re applying for”.
CRITERIA FOR REFUGEE STATUS
According to the US Embassy, applicants for the refugee programme must meet the following criteria.
- Be South African
- Be of Afrikaner ethnicity or be a member of a racial minority in South Africa.
- Must be able to articulate an experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.
Applicants who met the criteria were encouraged to complete and submit a Statement of Interest form.
In line with US President Donald Trump’s claims of “racial discrimination”, applicants must prove that they have been “persecuted” in their applications.
In the Statement of Interest form, applicants are required to specify if the “persecution” was based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership of a social group, or a fear of “future harm”.
Other questions included when the prospective “refugee” would like to travel to the US, how many family members they would like to bring, and if interested parties have a valid passport.