State Dept. Cable Signals Move To Bar 'Disinformation' Workers From H‑1B Visas

State Department Memo Could Block Experts Who Combat Disinformation From U.S. Work Visas

A State Department cable circulated to U.S. diplomatic posts on December 2 reportedly instructs consular officers to scrutinize H‑1B applicants — and accompanying family members — for work histories tied to misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact‑checking, compliance, or online safety. Reuters first reported the guidance, which advises officers to consider applicants ineligible if they appear to have been "responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States."

MS NOW has not independently verified the memo, and the State Department declined to comment directly on allegedly leaked documents. But a department spokesperson told Reuters the administration does not support "aliens coming to the United States to work as censors muzzling Americans," and framed the move as protecting Americans from foreign‑led censorship after former President Donald Trump was removed from some social platforms following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Why Critics Are Alarmed

Critics say the guidance mischaracterizes ordinary content moderation and the work of researchers, trust-and-safety teams, and fact‑checkers. Private platforms enforcing content policies to limit hate speech and harmful misinformation are not the same as government censorship; private companies set community standards much like a venue enforces rules against abusive conduct.

"If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible," the cable reportedly says.

Conservative claims of systematic political suppression by platforms — such as interpretations of the contested "Twitter Files" — have not produced conclusive evidence of coordinated, illegal political censorship. Instead, those disclosures largely show platform staff debating policy choices and enforcement priorities.

Potential Consequences

Applying this guidance could deter or block researchers, policy teams, and engineers who develop tools to detect disinformation, remove abusive content, or study platform dynamics. Observers warn the measure could weaken efforts to curb hate speech and misinformation while adding another barrier to skilled immigration, aligning with critics' broader concerns about the administration's immigration stance.

Whether the cable becomes formal policy or how strictly consular officers will apply it remains unclear. The memo, as described by Reuters, marks a notable development in the debate over free expression, platform responsibility, and immigration policy.

Reporting Note: This article is based on Reuters reporting about a December 2 State Department cable and comments attributed to a department spokesperson; the memo itself has not been independently verified by MS NOW.