US to include social media monitoring in visa processing of immigrants

US authorities could soon be snooping on social media posts from would-be immigrants in a new effort to close security gaps in the country’s visa system.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the homeland security and state departments had been asked to review the process for screening people who apply for visas and to return with specific recommendations.

Homeland security said it was specifically reviewing policies on when authorities at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services could look at social media posts as part of the vetting process for would-be immigrants applying for certain visas.