WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined with 24 Senators in sending a letter a to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Jeh Johnson, expressing concern about the reported lack of consistency in how the agency monitors the social media activity of people applying for U.S. Visas. The letter comes after reports that the female assailant involved in the San Bernardino terrorist attack earlier this month, who entered the country on a K-1 fiancé visa, may have expressed radical jihadist sentiments on social media.

“We write to express our deep concern regarding reports that critical background information of individuals participating in American visa programs has been largely omitted from the visa security screening process,” wrote the Senators in their letter. “Ensuring that the screening processes for our nation’s visa programs are rigorous and comprehensive must be a top priority, as these programs are critical to our security, our economy, and for our bilateral relationships with nations around the world.  We look forward to working with you to establish a more robust social media background check process for all visitors and immigrants to the United States.”

In the letter, which was led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the Senators asked DHS for more information on how social media background checks are used in the Visa review process now, and how that process can be improved. They also expressed their commitment to making sure America’s Visa programs have rigorous and comprehensive screening processes.

Also signing the letter were Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Christopher Murphey (D-Conn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Joe Manchin (D-W.V), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Robert Casey (D-Penn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I), and Jack Reed (D-R.I).  

The letter is available HERE, and the full text is below:

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December 15, 2015

The Honorable Jeh Johnson

Secretary

Department of Homeland Security

3801 Nebraska Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20016

Dear Secretary Johnson:

We write to express our deep concern regarding reports that critical background information of individuals participating in American visa programs has been largely omitted from the visa security screening process. 

According to recent reports, the female assailant involved in the San Bernardino terrorist attack may have expressed radical jihadist sentiments on social media platforms before her U.S. citizen fiancé, the male attacker, applied for a K-1 fiancé visa on her behalf.  Media reports have also indicated that Department of Homeland Security officials are able to conduct social media background checks as a part of certain immigration programs, but are doing so inconsistently.  We believe these checks, focused on possible connections to terrorist activity, should be incorporated into DHS’s vetting process for visa determinations, and that this policy should be implemented as soon as possible. 

Therefore, we request that you provide the following information as soon as possible so that we may work with you to implement a more rigorous screening process:

• Do you plan to integrate social media background checks into the screening process for all visas?
• Do you face resource and/or technical barriers to ‎implementing these background checks? If so, please describe them.
• Does the Administration conduct social media background checks in any of the existing screening processes for visa programs?  If so, please describe how they are conducted.

Ensuring that the screening processes for our nation’s visa programs are rigorous and comprehensive must be a top priority, as these programs are critical to our security, our economy, and for our bilateral relationships with nations around the world. 

We look forward to working with you to establish a more robust social media background check process for all visitors and immigrants to the United States.

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