The Trump administration has rolled out a new questionnaire for U.S. visa applicants worldwide that asks for social media handles for the last five years and biographical information going back 15 years.
The new questions, part of an effort to tighten vetting of would-be visitors to the United States, was approved on May 23 by the Office of Management and Budget despite criticism from a range of education officials and academic groups during a public comment period.
Critics argued that the new questions would be overly burdensome, lead to long delays in processing and discourage international students and scientists from coming to the United States.
Under the new procedures, consular officials can request all prior passport numbers, five years' worth of social media handles, email addresses and phone numbers and 15 years of biographical information including addresses, employment and travel history.
Officials will request the additional information when they determine "that such information is required to confirm identity or conduct more rigorous national security vetting," a State Department official said on Wednesday.
The State Department said earlier the tighter vetting would apply to visa applicants "who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities."
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 04 2017, @02:41AM (6 children)
In it's early days, Islam spread almost spontaneously too. In fact it was often driven out at the point of a sword, just like christianity.
Yeah. all those arabs conquered Malayasia. ::rolleyes::
In fact Islam was spread through out africa and south-east asia almost entirely by traders. [oureverydaylife.com] When it was spread by force it was usually on the back of conquests by people who just happened to be muslim. They weren't fighting crusades, they were fighting for stuff like nearly every other war. Also muslim slaves traded by christians. Sometimes the christians forcibly converted their slaves to christianity, like the 20%-30% of slaves in america who were originally muslim. [theroot.com] But some times their masters did the christian thing and let them keep their own religion like the dutch in south africa.
And yet, by nearly 2:1 christians in america see themselves as christian first and american second. [cnn.com]
Ted Cruz even campaigned on that.
Meanwhile Mo made this promise to christians: [jewishpost.com]
I'm sure you could. There is nothing easier than running your mouth about something you don't know jackshit about.
(Score: 1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Sunday June 04 2017, @12:15PM (5 children)
"In it's early days, Islam spread almost spontaneously too. In fact it was often driven out at the point of a sword, just like christianity."
Uhhhh, which part of "sword" do you not understand? Mohammed was a CONQUEROR. There is nothing "spontaneous" about driving a sword through a man's throat if he won't agree that your god is the only god. Please don't post such silliness. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battles_of_Muhammad [wikipedia.org] 28 separate expeditions, made by Mohammed personally. Are you suggesting that he won all of those battles without a sword, and that his followers didn't carry swords for him?
Islam is more like Judaism than it is like Christianity, but it doesn't even resemble Judaism very much. The Jews killed a lot of people, but they never forced anyone to become a Jew.
"Meanwhile Mo made this promise to christians: [jewishpost.com]"
Promises? Yes, promises that the Christians would be used as Islam's tools - "Be good to the Copts of Egypt; you shall take them over, but they shall be your instrument and help. Be Righteous to God about the Copts."
How many different ways can you say that you intend to enslave a people?
Tell me something: Why do you feel it necessary to apologize for Islam? Are you a Muslim? Islam's actions speak far more loudly than it's words - just as is true of Christianity and Judaism. Islam respects no one, and nothing, that is outside of Islam.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 04 2017, @01:27PM (3 children)
> Tell me something: Why do you feel it necessary to apologize for Islam?
Tell me something: Why do you feel it necessary to constantly lie about people who aren't part of your tribe?
(Score: 0, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Sunday June 04 2017, @03:23PM (2 children)
I don't lie - I read history. You have been lied to, when people claim that Islam is a "religion of peace". Islam only knows the peace of the grave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV710c1dgpU [youtube.com]
Allahu akhbar!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 04 2017, @06:35PM
Half truths are just the lies of cowards and you buddy are one of the biggest cowards on this site.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 04 2017, @09:59PM
Yes, you misconjugating Runaway, you "read" it. Or at least something purporting to be history.
But most of what you link to is not history, it is fear-mongering propaganda, and is flat out wrong. So while you may read what you think is history, and doubtless some of it actually is, you do not understand it enough to distinguish the actual history from the attempt to manipulate your tiny brain. So please, please, just shut the fuck up on matters you understand nothing about.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Sunday June 04 2017, @01:34PM
"Never" is a long time [wikipedia.org]. But yeah, you're right that in general the message of Judaism is fundamentally different from Christianity and Islam: Judaism is a tribal religion. Christianity and Islam both express the idea that their religion MUST be spread as part of their foundation.