America seeks to identify “inconvenient” Western travelers as part of his new immigration plan.

A new proposal from the U.S. government would require certain foreign visitors to the United States to provide details of their social media activity from the past five years as a condition of entry.

The measure, published in the Federal Register by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, targets travelers from the 42 countries participating in the visa waiver program. Under the proposal, applicants using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would be required to submit additional personal information beyond what is currently collected.

ESTA allows citizens of countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, Qatar and most of Europe to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without a visa. At present, applicants supply passport details, date of birth and information on any past criminal record.

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The proposed revision would make disclosure of social media history mandatory and introduce new “high value data elements,” such as all phone numbers and email addresses used in the past five years.

It would also require detailed information about close family members, including names, birth dates, birthplaces, residences and phone numbers for the same period.

A social media question was first added to the ESTA application in 2016, but answering it has remained optional. If an applicant does not answer the question or simply does not hold a social media account, the ESTA application can still be submitted without a negative interpretation or inference.

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If implemented, the new rule would make that disclosure compulsory. It remains unclear how the requirement might affect prospective visitors. The proposal is open for public comment until 9 February 2026, and the Department of Homeland Security has been asked for comment.

The initiative reflects the administration’s broader effort to reshape US immigration policy and enforce stricter controls across both legal and unauthorized entry channels. Over the past 11 months, the administration has tightened multiple parts of the immigration system and increased scrutiny of social media accounts, particularly for individuals seeking or holding student visas.

In June, the State Department instructed embassies and consulates to vet student visa applicants for “hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.” According to that guidance, applicants are encouraged to make their social media profiles public, and an absence of online presence may be treated as a negative factor during review.