US using AI to revoke visas of foreign nationals sympathetic to Hamas: Report

Published Mar 7 Updated Friday

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Shianne DeLeon (Video Editor)

The U.S. State Department launched an artificial intelligence-powered program to cancel visas of foreign nationals it identifies as supporting terrorist organizations. Axios first reported the move.
Officials said the effort will include reviews of social media accounts appearing to sympathize with designated terrorist groups.
The Trump administration reportedly started investigating databases to identify visa holders arrested but permitted to stay in the U.S. during the Biden administration.

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The U.S. State Department launched an artificial intelligence-powered “Catch and Revoke” program to cancel visas of foreign nationals it identifies as supporting Hamas or other terrorist organizations. Axios first reported the move on Thursday, March 6, citing senior State Department officials.

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What is the State Department looking for?

Officials said the effort includes reviews of social media accounts appearing to sympathize with designated terrorist groups. However, it did not reveal specifics on how it uses AI in this process.

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The Trump administration reportedly started investigating databases to identify visa holders arrested but permitted to stay in the U.S. during the Biden administration.

An official also revealed they’re examining media reports about pro-Palestinian protests and lawsuits from Jewish students accusing foreign nationals of committing antisemitic acts at universities.

Officials said the agency is working with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to identify foreign nationals deemed threats to national security.

How many people has the program analyzed?

The “Catch and Revoke” program reportedly examined 100,000 individuals within the Student Exchange Visitor System since October 2023. The program aims to find out if any visas were revoked because of student arrests or school suspensions.

A State Department source accused the Biden administration of ignoring the issue. The source said the administration didn’t revoke any visas during former President Joe Biden’s term.

What have critics said?

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and pro-Palestinian groups said artificial intelligence isn’t reliable for identifying whose visas to cancel.

A FIRE scholar said AI “cannot be relied on to parse the nuances of expression about complex matters like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

The American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee argued that it is “an alarming erosion of constitutionally protected free speech and privacy rights.”

Tags: Department of Homeland Security, Donald Trump, Hamas, Israel, National Security, Secretary of State, State Department, Terrorism, Terrorist Attack, Travel, United States, Visa, White House

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT IS LAUNCHING AN A-I-POWERED “CATCH AND REVOKE” PROGRAM TO CANCEL VISAS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS IT IDENTIFIES AS SUPPORTING HAMAS OR OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.

THE MOVE REPORTED BY AXIOS THURSDAY CITING SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.

OFFICIALS SAY THE EFFORT INCLUDES REVIEWS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS APPEARING TO SYMPATHIZE WITH DESIGNATED TERRORIST GROUPS BUT DIDN’T REVEAL SPECIFICS ON HOW A-I IS EMPLOYED IN THE PROCESS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS REPORTEDLY LOOKING INTO DATABASES TO FIND ANY VISA HOLDERS ARRESTED BUT ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE U-S DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

AN OFFICIAL ALSO REVEALED THEY’RE EXAMINING MEDIA REPORTS OF PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS AND JEWISH STUDENTS’ LAWSUITS ACCUSING FOREIGN NATIONALS OF ENGAGING IN ANTISEMITIC ACTS AT UNIVERSITIES.

OFFICIALS SAY THE AGENCY IS WORKING IN CONCERT WITH THE DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE AND HOMELAND SECURITY TO IDENTIFY FOREIGN NATIONALS THEY DEEM AS THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY.

THE “CATCH AND REVOKE” PROGRAM REPORTEDLY EXAMINED 100,000 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE STUDENT EXCHANGE VISITOR SYSTEM SINCE OCTOBER 2023 TO DETERMINE IF ANY VISAS WERE REVOKED BECAUSE OF A STUDENT’S ARRESTS OR SUSPENSIONS FROM SCHOOL.

A STATE DEPARTMENT SOURCE ACCUSED THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OF TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE ISSUE, SAYING ZERO VISAS WERE REVOKED UNDER THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

FREE SPEECH ADVOCATES ARE RAISING CONCERNS THE EFFORT VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

THE FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION OR FIRE AND PRO-PALESTINIAN GROUPS SAY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISN’T A RELIABLE TOOL TO IDENTIFY WHOSE VISAS TO CANCEL.

A SCHOLAR AT FIRE SAYS A-I “CANNOT BE RELIED ON TO PARSE THE NUANCES OF EXPRESSION ABOUT COMPLEX AND CONTESTED MATTERS LIKE THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT.”

THE AMERICAN ARAB ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE ARGUES IT’S “AN ALARMING EROSION OF CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED FREE SPEECH AND PRIVACY RIGHTS.”