WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreigners who are allowed to come to the United States without a visa could soon be required to submit information about their social media, email accounts and extensive family history to the Department of Homeland Security before being approved for travel.
The notice published Wednesday in the Federal Register said Customs and Border Protection is proposing collecting five years' worth of social media information from travelers from select countries who do not have to get visas to come to the U.S. The Trump administration has been stepping up monitoring of international travelers and immigrants.
The announcement refers to travelers from more than three dozen countries who take part in the Visa Waiver Program and submit their information to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), which automatically screens them and then approves them for travel to the U.S. Unlike visa applicants, they generally do not have to go into an embassy or consulate for an interview.
DHS administers the program, which currently allows citizens of roughly 40 mostly European and Asian countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for three months without visas.
The announcement also said that CBP would start requesting a list of other information, including telephone numbers the person has used over the past five years or email addresses used over the past decade. Also sought would be metadata from electronically submitted photos, as well as extensive information from the applicant’s family members, including their places of birth and their telephone numbers.
The application that people are now required to fill out to take part in ESTA asks for a more limited set of questions such as parents' names and current email address.
Asked at a White House event whether he was concerned the measure might affect tourism to the U.S., President Donald Trump said no.
“We want safety, we want security, we want to make sure we’re not letting the wrong people come into our country,” Trump said.
The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed changes before they go into effect, the notice said.
CBP stressed in a statement Wednesday that the rule hasn't yet gone into effect and wasn't finalized.
“Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States. This is 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 agency said in a statement.
“The Department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington DC against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving,” the statement read.
The announcement did not say what the administration was looking for in the social media accounts or why it was asking for more information.
But the agency said it was complying with an executive order that Trump signed in January that called for more screening of people coming to the U.S. to prevent the entry of possible national security threats.
Travelers from countries that are not part of the Visa Waiver Program system are already required to submit their social media information, a policy that dates back to the first Trump administration. The policy remained during Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.
But citizens from visa waiver countries were not obligated to do so.
Since January, the Trump administration has stepped up checks of immigrants and travelers, both those trying to enter the U.S. as well as those already in the country. Officials have tightened visa rules by requiring that applicants set all of their social media accounts to public so that they can be more easily scrutinized and checked for what authorities view as potential derogatory information. Refusing to set an account to public can be considered grounds for visa denial, according to guidelines provided by the State Department.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services now considers whether an applicant for benefits, such as a green card, “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused” anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views.
The heightened interest in social media screening has drawn concern from immigration and free speech advocates about what the Trump administration is looking for and whether the measures target people critical of the administration in an infringement of free speech rights.
Travelers arrive at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Romulus, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Travelers wait in a TSA checkpoint at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, in Romulus, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso and a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday raised further questions about his future.
Arsenal remains perfect in this season's competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain was held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao.
Alonso had faced reports this week that he had lost control of the locker room and speculation over his position is likely to be intense after a latest defeat. It’s now just two wins in eight games for Madrid and back-to-back home losses.
There were jeers inside the Bernabeu at the final whistle.
“We know it’s a tough moment for us and for the coach,” Madrid winger Rodrygo said. “Things are not going our way and I wanted to show that we are behind our the coach. He has been trying. I wanted to show that we are together and we need to be united to keep moving forward and achieve our goals.”
Rodrygo had put Madrid in front in the 28th minute, but goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland before halftime sealed victory for City.
Alonso looked frustrated on the sidelines as he watched his blunt attack waste chances to salvage something in the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappé, who was an unused substitute.
Vinicius Junior failed to hit the target with two chances from close range and Jude Bellingham lifted another effort over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Bellingham said afterward the squad was “100%” behind Alonso.
“The noise will not be helpful. So it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room,” Bellingham told TNT Sports.
Record 15-time European champion Madrid is seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16.
“As a player inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around,” Bellingham said. “I’ve got full faith that this season isn’t over just because we’ve been on a bad run of form, and obviously as players it kills us and we’re going try to turn it around.”
Top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League, too, Arsenal swept aside Club Brugge to maintain its 100% record in Europe.
Noni Madueke scored twice and Gabriel Martinelli got the other for Mikel Arteta's team, which has seen its lead in England's top flight cut from six points to two in recent weeks.
There are no such concerns in Europe.
“Our mentality is our strength," Arteta said.
PSG couldn't find a winner in Bilbao, but with 13 points after six games, the French giant has already equaled the total amount it picked up in the league phase last season before going on to win the trophy.
Italian champion Napoli lost 2-0 at Benfica, while Weston McKennie was on target for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Pafos.
Both Napoli and Juventus have only won two of their six games in the league phase so far.
Alejandro Grimaldo made the difference again for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring in the 88th to rescue a 2-2 draw against Newcastle.
A hero of Leverkusen’s surprise win at Man City last month, Grimaldo surged into the penalty area to level the score.
Leverkusen took an early lead when Bruno Guimaraes deflected Robert Andrich’s header into his own net. Nick Woltemade won a penalty that Anthony Gordon converted in the 51st before 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley headed Newcastle in front.
Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand missed the game for personal reasons, the club said an hour before kickoff.
Jeers rang out at full time at Borussia Dortmund after Norway’s Bodo/Glimt sealed a 2-2 draw, equalizing twice after Julian Brandt goals for Dortmund.
The result helps neither team, with Dortmund’s chances of direct qualification for the round of 16 taking a dent. Bodo/Glimt has three draws but no wins in its debut Champions League season.
Ajax scored three goals late in the game to deny Qarabag a surprise win in one of the early kickoffs.
Four-time European champion Ajax twice trailed against its Azerbaijani opponent, but fought back to win 4-2 in Baku.
Qarabag has been one of the surprise packages in this season’s competition and led after 10 minutes through Camilo Duran. Matheus Silva scored two minutes into the second half to make it 2-1 after Kasper Dolberg had leveled for Ajax.
But Ajax powered back with three goals in 11 minutes. Oscar Gloukh scored in the 79th and 90th, with Anton Gaaei getting the other in the 82nd.
Copenhagen also scored late to win 3-2 at Villarreal.
Substitute Andreas Cornelius struck in the 90th to seal victory in a game where Copenhagen had twice been pegged back after taking the lead.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and PSG in Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Dec.10, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Arsenal's Noni Madueke celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Club Brugge and Arsenal in Bruges, Belgium, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham reacts after missing a chance during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe sits at the bench before a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso sits at the bench before a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Copenhagen's Elias Achouri, right, challenges for the ball with Villarreal's Ilias Akhomach during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Villareal and Copenhagen in Villareal, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Ajax's Kasper Dolberg reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Qarabag and Ajax in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)
Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso takes his seat on the bench before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Celta Vigo in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
