WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department announced Tuesday it was barring
five Europeans it accused of leading efforts to pressure U.S. tech firms
to censor or suppress American viewpoints.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not name those he said fell foul of a
new visa policy announced in May to restrict the entry of foreigners
deemed responsible for censorship of protected speech in the United
States. He identified them only as “radical” activists and “weaponized”
nongovernmental organizations.
“For
far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce
American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose,” Rubio
posted on X. “The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate these
egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”
The
five Europeans were later identified by Sarah Rogers, the under
secretary of state for public diplomacy, in a series of posts on social
media. They include a former European Union commissioner and the leaders
of organizations that address digital hate.
Rubio's
statement said they advanced foreign government censorship campaigns
against Americans and U.S. companies, which he said created “potentially
serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the U.S.
The
action to bar them from the U.S. is part of a Trump administration
campaign against foreign influence over online speech, using immigration
law rather than platform regulations or sanctions.
The five named by Rogers are: Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Centre
for Countering Digital Hate; Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von
Hodenberg, leaders of HateAid, a German organization; former EU
Commissioner Thierry Breton, who was responsible for digital affairs;
and Clare Melford, who runs the Global Disinformation Index.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, those targeted will generally
be barred from entering the United States, and some may face removal
proceedings if already in the country. Officials said the administration
could expand the list if similar foreign actions continue.
Most
Europeans are covered by the Visa Waiver Program, which means they
don’t necessarily need visas to come into the country. They do, however,
need to complete an online application prior to arrival under a system
run by the Department of Homeland Security, so it is possible that at
least some of these five people have been flagged to DHS, a U.S.
official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details not
publicly released.
Other
visa restriction policies were announced this year, along with bans
targeting foreign visitors from certain African and Middle Eastern
countries and the Palestinian Authority. Visitors from some countries
could be required to post a financial bond when applying for a visa.
