The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has unveiled an innovative “Catch and Revoke” initiative, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and revoke visas of foreign nationals suspected of supporting Hamas or other designated terrorist organisations. Senior State Department officials tell Axios.
This move marks a significant escalation in the US government’s efforts to monitor the activities and speech of foreign nationals.
Senior State Department officials revealed that the initiative involves AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of student visa holders’ social media accounts, focussing on evidence of alleged terrorist sympathies expressed after the October 7. 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The reviews will also examine internal databases to identify visa holders who were arrested but allowed to stay in the country during the Biden administration.
Furthermore, officials will scrutinise news reports of anti-Israel demonstrations and lawsuits filed by Jewish students, highlighting instances of foreign nationals allegedly engaging in anti-semitic activities without consequences. The State Department is collaborating with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security to implement this comprehensive approach.
To initiate “Catch and Revoke”, federal officials analysed 100,000 individuals in the Student Exchange Visitor System since October 2023, searching for visa revocations due to arrests or suspensions. Typically, a consular official makes the revocation decision after being alerted about an arrest or suspension. However, officials found no visa revocations during the Biden administration, “We found literally zero visa revocations during the Biden administration,” the official said, “… which suggests a blind eye attitude toward law enforcement.”
The Immigration Nationality Act of 1952 grants the Secretary of State the authority to revoke visas from foreigners deemed a threat. Rubio emphasised this point as a senator, stating, “We see people marching at our universities and in the streets of our country… calling for Intifada, celebrating what Hamas has done… Those people need to go.”
Trump echoes similar sentiments in a January 30 White House fact sheet, warning resident aliens who participated in pro-jihadist protests that they would be found and deported. “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice. We will find you, and we will deport you.”
Another executive order, issued on January 20, targets visa holders and foreigners who “threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology.”
The cumulative effect of Trump’s executive orders has already had a chilling impact on student visa holders, causing them to shy away from protests critical of Israel. Abed Ayoub, head of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, expressed concerns that this approach would undermine free speech rights and capitulate to foreign interests, “This should concern all Americans. This is a First Amendment and freedom of speech issue and the administration will overplay its hand,” he said.
Ayoub drew parallels between the new program and Operation Boulder, a 1972 initiative by the Nixon administration that infiltrated and surveilled pro-Palestinian groups, infringing on the rights of US citizens and foreign nationals. He cautioned that the use of AI would exacerbate these concerns, as it would police speech using potentially faulty technology.
A senior State Department official countered that ignoring publicly available information about visa applicants would be negligent, especially given the advancements in AI technology. The official emphasised that AI is a valuable resource for the government, enabling it to identify potential security threats more effectively.
If officials discover a social media post from a foreign national that appears to endorse the attack on Israel or expresses pro-Hamas sentiments, that could be grounds for visa revocation. The Trump administration’s pro-Israel stance reflects its commitment to the Jewish state, an issue of significant interest to white evangelicals.
In contrast, opposition to Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza has divided the Democratic base, with voters generally disfavouring rallies critical of Israel. Some surveys suggest that a plurality of voters fails to distinguish between support for Hamas and support for the Palestinian people. A White House adviser noted that while the administration’s stance on Israel is not driven by polling, it is beneficial to be on the right side of the issue.