US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has launched a “Catch and Revoke” initiative utilizing AI to identify and revoke visas for foreign nationals allegedly supporting Hamas or other terrorist organizations. This effort escalates monitoring of foreign nationals’ activities, focusing on social media evidence post-October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. AI reviews will assess visa holders’ backgrounds, and past arrests, while collaborating with Justice and Homeland Security. Critics, including Abed Ayoub, argue it threatens free speech rights and parallels past government surveillance initiatives. Supporters maintain that leveraging AI is essential for identifying security threats and ensuring public safety.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has introduced an inventive “Catch and Revoke” initiative that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and revoke visas of foreign nationals suspected of supporting Hamas or other designated terrorist groups. Senior officials from the State Department informed Axios.
This initiative represents a considerable escalation in the US government’s attempts to monitor the actions and speech of foreign nationals.
According to senior officials, the initiative includes AI-driven evaluations of the social media accounts of tens of thousands of student visa holders, concentrating on evidence of purported terrorist sympathies expressed subsequent to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The reviews will also delve into internal databases to pinpoint visa holders who had been arrested yet permitted to remain in the country during the Biden administration.
Moreover, officials will analyze news reports regarding anti-Israel protests and lawsuits initiated by Jewish students, underscoring cases where foreign nationals allegedly engaged in anti-Semitic actions without facing consequences. The State Department is working alongside the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to execute this comprehensive strategy.
As part of launching “Catch and Revoke,” federal officials assessed 100,000 individuals within the Student Exchange Visitor System since October 2023, looking for visa revocations triggered by arrests or suspensions. Typically, a consular official initiates the revocation after being alerted to an arrest or suspension; however, they reportedly found no visa revocations during the Biden administration. “We found literally zero visa revocations during the Biden administration,” an official stated, adding that this indicates a lenient stance towards law enforcement.
The Immigration Nationality Act of 1952 empowers the Secretary of State to revoke visas from foreigners viewed as threats. Rubio highlighted this authority as a senator, stating, “We see individuals marching at our universities and in the streets of our country… calling for Intifada, lauding what Hamas has accomplished… Those individuals need to go.”
Trump resonated similar concerns in a fact sheet released from the White House on January 30, cautioning resident aliens who participated in pro-jihadist protests that they would be tracked down and deported: “To all the resident aliens who participated in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice. We will find you, and we will deport you.”
Another executive order, enacted on January 20, targets visa holders and foreigners who “threaten our national security and promote hateful ideologies.”
The combined effect of Trump’s executive orders has already created a chilling atmosphere for student visa holders, prompting them to avoid protests that criticize Israel. Abed Ayoub, head of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, expressed apprehensions that this tactic could undermine free speech rights and succumb to foreign pressures, stating, “This should concern all Americans. This is a First Amendment and freedom of speech issue and the administration will overreach,” he remarked.
Ayoub drew comparisons between the new program and Operation Boulder, a 1972 initiative from the Nixon administration that infiltrated and surveilled pro-Palestinian organizations, violating the rights of both US citizens and foreign nationals. He warned that the deployment of AI could intensify these issues, as it might regulate speech using potentially flawed technology.
A senior State Department official countered that neglecting publicly accessible information about visa applicants would be irresponsible, especially given the technological advancements in AI. The official asserted that AI serves as a crucial tool for the government, allowing it to more efficiently identify potential security threats.
If officials detect a social media post from a foreign national that seems to endorse the assault on Israel or convey pro-Hamas views, that could serve as grounds for visa revocation. The Trump administration’s pro-Israel position reflects its dedication to the Jewish state, an issue of significant importance to white evangelicals.
Conversely, opposition to Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza has fragmented the Democratic base, with voters generally disapproving of rallies critical of Israel. Some surveys indicate a plurality of voters struggle to differentiate between support for Hamas and support for the Palestinian populace. A White House adviser noted that while the administration’s position on Israel is not determined by public opinion, being aligned with the right side of the issue is advantageous.