Group Sues for Records on Visa Holder Social Media Surveillance and Voter Registration Limits at Naturalization Ceremonies
WASHINGTON — Today, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed suit against the Trump administration for failing to release records related to federal policies targeting visa holders’ social media activity and restricting voter registration access at naturalization ceremonies. Represented by American Oversight, CLC’s lawsuit seeks to compel the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to produce records that could shed light on how these policies are being implemented and the dangers they pose to fundamental rights and democratic participation.
The complaint centers on two sets of policies announced and expanded in 2025: a federal program to review visa applicants’ and holders’ social media activity — with the potential to alter or revoke visa status based on perceived “hostility” toward the United States — and a new USCIS rule limiting who may provide voter registration services at naturalization ceremonies.
“The public deserves transparency into how these decisions are being made, what standards are being applied, and whether these practices are undermining core democratic values,” said Renata O’Donnell, senior legal counsel for strategic litigation at Campaign Legal Center. “These policies raise serious concerns about the federal government policing speech and limiting access to voter registration at the very moment people become new citizens. For many people, a naturalization ceremony is the culmination of years of effort to build a life in this country — and one of the first opportunities to participate fully in our democracy. At the same time, visa holders may now face the prospect that what they say online could be scrutinized and used against them in ways that are unclear and potentially arbitrary.”
“The Trump administration is making consequential decisions about who can enter or remain in the United States — and who has meaningful access to participate in our democracy — while keeping the public in the dark about the rules, standards, and safeguards guiding those decisions,” said Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight. “Policies that monitor people’s speech and restrict access to voter registration raise serious concerns about fairness and the potential for abuse. That is particularly troubling from an administration already ramping up the use of surveillance tools and abusing its authorities in ways that blur the line between legitimate enforcement and politicization. The public has a right to understand how these programs operate, what criteria are being used, and how the government is violating fundamental rights and disregarding democratic principles.”
CLC submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in October 2025 seeking records related to these policies, including internal guidance, training materials, interagency communications, and agreements between agencies. Despite legal deadlines, the agencies have failed to produce the requested records or provide final determinations, forcing the groups to file suit.
The requested records could reveal how federal officials are evaluating individuals’ speech, what standards are being applied, whether there are safeguards to prevent abuse, and how the administration is limiting access to voter registration at the very moment many new citizens become eligible to participate in the democratic process.
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The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center advances democracy through law. We safeguard the freedom to vote, defend voters’ right to know who is spending money to influence elections, and work to ensure public trust in our elected officials.
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