On Tuesday, a Florida congressman called for the federal government to keep tabs of the social media of every immigrant in the U.S. on a visa.
Pointing to reports noting the terrorists behind the San Bernardino attacks posted messages in support of Islamic jihad on Facebook, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., urged the White House to show more leadership in monitoring social media. The U.S. House is scheduled to vote on a measure mandating the White House draft up a plan for monitoring social media but Buchanan said President Barack Obama should not wait on the matter.
“We have heard repeatedly that terrorists use social media as a recruitment and communication tool and yet we don’t bother to screen their on-line activity before allowing them into America?” Buchanan asked on Tuesday before turning his focus to reports that Tashfeen Malik came to the U.S. on a visa even after posting on Facebook that she supported jihad.
“We should have been tracking their social media all along, but apparently our government was too concerned about political correctness and violating the privacy rights of foreigners,” Buchanan said. “This woman never should have been allowed into our country after pledging Islamic jihad on Facebook.”
Turning his fire to Obama, Buchanan noted that members of the Obama administration have expressed hesitation over social media monitoring of visa applicants due to concerns over privacy and civil liberties. Earlier this week, ABC News reported that there were policies in place ensuring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies would not screen social media posts by visa applicants.
Buchanan called for this policy to be changed on Tuesday and urged the administration “put the safety of Americans ahead of the privacy of foreigners” and examine social media from all visa applicants.
The Florida congressman is not alone in his call to change the policy. In recent days, Republicans and Democrats ranging from U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, and U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., have called for reversing the policy and backing heavier screening of visa applicants’ social media accounts.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
