The Donald Trump administration has issued directives instructing US embassy officials to deny visas to applicants who have worked in fact-checking, content moderation, compliance, or online safety roles, according to a leaked State Department memo obtained by Reuters. The policy is expected to disproportionately affect technology workers from countries like India, particularly those applying for H-1B visas.

The memo directs consular officials to reject visas for anyone deemed “responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States.” While the restrictions technically apply to all visa types, they focus primarily on highly skilled foreign workers in technology and related sectors, including journalists and other professional applicants.

Visa applicants will be scrutinized for their professional history, LinkedIn profiles, and social media activity. Roles involving content moderation, trust and safety, combating misinformation, or compliance could render candidates ineligible. The move is likely to impact global tech employees addressing child sexual abuse, antisemitism, and other harmful online content.

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Experts warn the policy conflates essential trust and safety work with censorship. Alice Goguen Hunsberger, vice president of trust and safety at PartnerHero, told NPR that these roles protect children, prevent scams, and maintain online security. “Having global workers in trust and safety absolutely keeps Americans safer,” she said, highlighting the broader public safety implications of the restrictions.

The Trump administration has justified the directive as a measure to defend free speech, citing past social media bans affecting the former president following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The administration has previously restricted visas for foreign journalists, limited climate change references on government websites, and barred certain reporters from White House briefings.

In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the stance on social media, stating, “Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of travelling to our country.” The new visa rules mark a significant shift in US immigration policy for global tech professionals, particularly those from India and other nations involved in online safety and moderation work.

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