If you don’t support MAGA “values,” you might not be allowed to stay in this country.
The official social media account for the office of Citizenship and Immigration Services threatened visa and green card holders Wednesday, declaring that permanent residence in the U.S. is a “privilege” dependent on an applicant’s alignment with Trumpian politics.
“Coming to America and receiving a visa or green card is a privilege. Our laws and values must be respected,” the agency wrote. “If you advocate for violence, endorse or support terrorist activity, or encourage others to do so, you are no longer eligible to stay in the U.S.”
It was not clear from the statement if that meant every possible legal infraction—from parking tickets to loitering or seatbelt violations—could lead to deportation. Further still, it was even less clear what “values” the agency was referring to, or how an immigrant might be able to work within those in order to stay in the country.
Politico’s senior legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein noted that the administration’s new, principle-based directive is not required by law.
“For one thing, we’d have to define them, which I don’t think we’ve done,” Gerstein wrote on X. “Australia does require it and they’ve laid them out.”
But the Trump administration has so far attempted to boot non-citizens out of the country for unconstitutional reasons, likening their First Amendment-protected political dissent rights to a vague national security risk, or by forcing out tattooed immigrants without due process under the Alien Enemies Act by claiming that they were gang members.
In April, a U.S. circuit judge stated that the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to force immigrants out of the country had treated asylum-seekers worse than prior presidents treated actual German Nazis during World War II.
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