NBC News: “The Trump administration plans to require travelers from more than 40 countries to provide their social media histories from the last five years to enter the U.S., according to a notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register. The data would be “mandatory” for new entrants to the U.S., who hail from 42 countries that are part of the visa waiver program, according to the notice from Customs and Border Protection – [Agency Information Collection Activities; Revision; Arrival and Departure Record (Form I-94) and Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)]. Residents of the United Kingdom and Germany are among the countries from which visitors do not require visas to visit the U.S., which, according to the notice, could add an extra hurdle for travelers. British citizens and people of other waived countries currently can complete “Electronic System for Travel Authorizations” in lieu of obtaining visas. Providing social media histories would now be part of the requirements to complete the ESTA, according to the proposal. The Trump administration has increased restrictions on people entering the U.S., and President Donald Trump ran a campaign that focused on border and immigration crackdowns.

Washington Post: “…Applicants would also have to provide additional information “when feasible,” according to the proposal. The list includes telephone numbers used in the past five years; email addresses used in the past 10 years; IP addresses and metadata from electronically submitted photos; and biometrics, including facial, fingerprint, DNA and iris data. It would also require applicants to provide information about their family members, including names, telephone numbers, dates of birth, places of birth and residences. According to CBP, the proposal is open for a 60-day public comment period. In an emailed statement, a CBP spokesperson said the proposal was “not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe.” “The Department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country,” the statement added. ESTA is an automated system used by tourists and people traveling for short-term business who are entering the United States through the visa waiver program. It allows citizens of select countries to visit for up to 90 consecutive days. The authorization costs $40 and is generally valid for two years, and the ESTA holder can enter multiple times during that period. Farshad Owji, past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and partner at law firm WR Immigration, said the proposal could “chill travel and expression.”