Trump orders Gaza-linked social media vetting on US visa applications

The US will begin to vet all social media accounts of any US visa applicant, who has been to Gaza on or after 1 January 2007, according to an internal State Department cable shown to Reuters.

The order will include applications put forward by non-governmental organisation workers as well as individuals, who were present in Gaza for any period of time, whether it was for an official or a diplomatic duty.

"If the review of social media results uncovers potential derogatory information relating to security issues, then a SAO must be submitted," the cable said.

This means a visa application would be submitted for an investigation to assess whether the applicant could pose a national security risk to the US.

The cable was dated on 17 April and signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

In March, Rubio said that he may have revoked more than 300 visas already.

The move follows the visa revocation of hundreds of people in the US, including many who held legal permanent residents, under a 1952 law  which allows the deportation of immigrants whose presence deems harmful to US foreign policy.