The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services is now allowed to create fake social media accounts to check on the social media information on foreigners applying for visas, green cards or citizenship.
The Homeland Security Department review of privacy issues revealed that it has removed the ban on officers creating fake profiles.
The USCIS statement said that making fake accounts and identities will make it easier for investigators to search for fraud and security threats on whether a person can be granted U.S access.
Last June, the State Department said that it has started requiring applicants to submit their social media usernames.
The immigration policies are part of US President Donald Trump’s reinforced rulings in accepting immigrants and visitors.
It remains unclear how immigration officials will proceed with creating fake accounts especially Facebook which has a strict policy on creating fake accounts.
“It is against our policies to use fake personae and to use Twitter data for persistent surveillance of individuals. We look forward to understanding USCIS’s proposed practices to determine whether they are consistent with our terms of service,” Twitter said in a statement.
