united-states fraud immigration
What are the consequences of lying to US immigration authorities?
<p>Application for a US visa now requires information about social media accounts. I know that intentionally omitting this information constitutes misrepresentation, but what are the potential consequences of not disclosing the social media information?</p>
<p>Is it just the risk of being denied a visa and deportation?</p>

<p>A sample visa application is provided <a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/PDF-other/DS-160-Example_11-19-2020.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>. On p. 80, it warns that the submission of an application that contains false or misleading information may result in permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry, and that all declarations are unsworn declarations made under perjury of penalty, <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1746" rel="nofollow noreferrer">28 USC 1746</a> the penalty being specified as a fine and up to 5 years prison in <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1621" rel="nofollow noreferrer">18 USC 1621</a>.</p>

<p>Lying to US authorities rarely goes well. The problem is that <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/31/20837448/social-media-dhs-cbp-surveillance-us-border-ismail-ajjawi-harvard" rel="nofollow noreferrer">even being truthful can cause issues</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Earlier this week, incoming Harvard freshman Ismail B. Ajjawi found himself blocked from entering the US. Ajjawi, a Palestinian resident of Lebanon, had landed in Boston before the start of classes. But The Harvard Crimson reported that after hours of questioning, US Customs and Border Protection agents revoked his visa. Ajjawi said a CBP agent searched his phone and laptop while asking questions about his friends’ social media activity. Then, she “started screaming at me,” Ajjawi said. “She said that she found people posting political points of view that oppose the US on my friend[s] list.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's really hard to say how consequential lying would be. CBP has broad authority to deny entry, and if a CBP officer investigates you and finds you omitted something it's possible they deny you entry. The most likely way you would get caught would be if CBP <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/10/22276183/us-appeals-court-first-circuit-border-phone-search-decision-fourth-amendment" rel="nofollow noreferrer">searches your phone on entry</a> and finds undisclosed social media accounts.</p>

<p>Under INA 212(a)(6)(C)(i) (codified as <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1182&amp;num=0&amp;edition=prelim" rel="nofollow noreferrer">8 USC 1182</a>(a)(6)(C)(i)), fraud or willful misrepresentation of a material fact in visa application or entry leads to a lifetime ban.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Any alien who, by fraud or willfully misrepresenting a material fact,
seeks to procure (or has sought to procure or has procured) a visa,
other documentation, or admission into the United States or other
benefit provided under this chapter is inadmissible.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>See <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-8-part-j" rel="nofollow noreferrer">USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part J</a> and the Foreign Affairs Manual, <a href="https://fam.state.gov/FAM/09FAM/09FAM030209.html#M302_9_4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">9 FAM 302.9-4</a> for more information on this ban.</p>
