The US State Department plans on using artificial intelligence (AI) to revoke visas of foreign students who are perceived as supporters of Hamas terrorists, according to a Thursday Axios report citing senior State Department officials.
The AI-fueled "Catch and Revoke" effort will include AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of student visa holders' social media accounts, the report added.
The report said the effort was launched by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Rubio later posted to X/Twitter a statement condemning those who support terror organizations that threaten national security.
"Those who support designated terrorist organizations, including Hamas, threaten our national security. The United States has zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists. Violators of US law — including international students — face visa denial or revocation, and deportation," Rubio wrote.
Accounts under examination
The Axios report noted that the reviews of social media accounts would be "particularly looking for evidence of terrorist sympathies expressed" after the Hamas October 7 attacks in 2023, according to officials.
Further, officials would reportedly "examine internal databases" to see if "any visa holders were arrested but allowed to stay in the country during the Biden administration."
Axios added that officials were checking news reports of "anti-Israel demonstrations and Jewish students' lawsuits that highlight foreign nationals allegedly engaged in antisemitic activity without consequence."