Immigrants seeking a legal pathway to live and work in the United States will now be subject to screening for \u201canti-Americanism\u2019,\u201d authorities said Tuesday, raising concerns among critics that it gives officers too much leeway in rejecting foreigners based on a subjective judgment.<\/p>\n
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said officers will now consider whether an applicant for benefits, such as a green card, \u201cendorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused\u201d anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerica\u2019s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies,\u201d Matthew Tragesser, USCIS spokesman, said in a statement. \u201cImmigration benefits\u2014including to live and work in the United States\u2014remain a privilege, not a right.\u201d<\/p>\n
It isn\u2019t specified what constitutes anti-Americanism and it isn\u2019t clear how and when the directive would be applied.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe message is that the U.S. and immigration agencies are going to be less tolerant of anti-Americanism or antisemitism when making immigration decisions,\u201d Elizabeth Jacobs, director of regulatory affairs and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for immigration restrictions, said on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
Jacobs said the government is being more explicit in the kind of behaviors and practices officers should consider, but emphasized that discretion is still in place. \u201cThe agency cannot tell officers that they have to deny \u2014 just to consider it as a negative discretion,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Critics worry the policy update will allow for more subjective views of what is considered anti-American and allow an officer\u2019s personal bias to cloud his or her judgment. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, the really big story is they are opening the door for stereotypes and prejudice and implicit bias to take the wheel in these decisions. That\u2019s really worrisome,\u201d said Jane Lilly Lopez, associate professor of sociology at Brigham Young University.<\/p>\n