September 26, 2016 - 6:30pm
Pointing to a terrorist attack in New York and New Jersey earlier this month, a Florida congressman said it underscored the need to pass his bill ensuring the federal government screens the social media of everyone who applies for a visa to visit the United States.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., paired up with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in December to launch a bill ensuring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) examines the social media of all foreigners looking to enter the U.S. on a visa. Buchanan noted on Monday there were reports that federal officials did not examine Ahmad Rahami’s social media posts which included links to videos supporting Islamic terrorism and jihad. Rahami was responsible for bombs which injured more than 30 people.
“Terrorists are using the digital battlefield to their advantage, and we’re one step behind,” Buchanan said. “Rahami’s activity on these social media sites could have alerted authorities five years ago. The government cannot afford to overlook any foreigners’ social media as ISIS hopes to carry out more violence across the U.S.”
Buchanan noted Rahami praised Osama bin Laden and other terrorists on social media and said federal officials should not have missed those red flags.
“It’s right there in front of us and we missed it,” Buchanan said. “Checking social media is standard practice for thousands of employers. We need to make sure the individuals entering the U.S. are not here to harm Americans.”
Buchanan’s bill has garnered more than 20 co-sponsors including U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla. It was sent to the House Judiciary Committee in December and over to the House Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee earlier this year.
Buchanan’s bill has garnered more than 20 co-sponsors including U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla. It was sent to the House Judiciary Committee in December and over to the House Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee earlier this year.
Back in December, when he unveiled the bill, Buchanan made his case for why it was needed.
“As terrorist threats continue to evolve, so too must our policies to safeguard our country,” Buchanan said when he brought the bill out. “We need every tool to protect Americans – and a key component is vetting all avenues of communication. My bill will ensure that our government reviews all social media accounts before allowing foreign visa applicants into the United States.”
When he launched the bill, pointing to reports noting the terrorists behind the San Bernardino attacks posted messages in support of Islamic jihad on Facebook, Buchanan urged the White House to show more leadership in monitoring social media.
“This country cannot afford to turn another blind eye,” Buchanan said. “It is time we put the safety of Americans ahead of the privacy of foreigners and political correctness.”
McCain also pointed to the San Bernardino terrorist attacks when he brought out his bill in the Senate in December.
McCain also pointed to the San Bernardino terrorist attacks when he brought out his bill in the Senate in December.
“Following the tragedy in San Bernardino, we have learned that the Obama administration has declined to review information available on social media platforms to screen for threats from foreign nationals seeking to enter the United States,” McCain said. “This purposeful refusal to examine publicly available information defies belief, especially as we grapple with complex technical questions to address the problem of criminals and terrorists ‘going dark,’ or utilizing readily available encryption to escape court-ordered government search. It is unacceptable that Congress has to legislate on this, and that it wasn’t already the Department of Homeland Security’s practice to take such commonsense steps when screening individuals entering this country.”
McCain also took a shot at President Barack Obama’s handling of terrorism. The Arizona Republican lost to Obama in the 2008 presidential election.
“This is just the latest, unfortunate example of this administration’s refusal to proactively address very real threats to our national security,” McCain said. “It is critical that we have the strongest policies and procedures in place for background checks that reflect the evolving security threats facing our nation.”
