Issue One calls for transparency into State Department’s decision to deny H1-B visas to information integrity researchers

Today, Issue One submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the State Department following the State Department’s recent decision to deny H1-B visas to content moderators, information integrity researchers, trust and safety professionals, fact-checkers, and civil society experts who track foreign interference, extremism, and coordinated online manipulation. In the request, Issue One asked for internal communications, enforcement guidance, and the criteria used to determine whether an individual will face additional scrutiny because of their work on information integrity. The goal is to promote transparency, signal to the Trump administration that the online safety research community is watching, create a permanent public record, and protect those that do this critical work.

Issue One’s FOIA request comes amid a pattern by the current administration of suppressing independent analysis and intimidating online safety researchers. The White House — along with key congressional allies like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) — have baselessly claimed that researchers and civil society organizations working on disinformation are “censoring Americans” and undermining democracy. At the same time, this administration has actively targeted these experts, calling them to testify before Congress, dismantling critical infrastructure, and pressuring tech companies.

Investigations, court rulings, and public disclosures have repeatedly shown that this so-called “censorship industrial complex” does not exist. Yet dozens of civil society organizations and academic researchers continue to face retaliatory tactics designed to intimidate, drain resources, and silence dissent.

The administration has also promised favorable policy outcomes for tech companies that weaken their content moderation and safety practices or threaten regulatory action for those who resist. Additionally, Meta, which donated $1 million to President Trump’s inaugural fund, announced earlier this year that it was ending its fact-checking program.

In response to the FOIA request and the crackdowns on independent information integrity researchers, members of Issue One’s Council for Responsible Social Media (CRSM) and Issue One’s Vice President of Advocacy Alix Fraser offered the following statements:

“Denying H1-B visas to online safety researchers puts our democracy at risk,” said former House Majority Leader and CRSM Co-chair Dick Gephardt. “These fact-checkers, disinformation researchers, and civil society experts track foreign interference, extremism, and coordinated online manipulation, helping to keep Americans and our democracy safe. By limiting pathways for them to legally work in the United States, we are making it easier for bad actors to continue to poison our information environment, increase political polarization, and degrade our democratic discourse. This is why we need the transparency and accountability that this FOIA request will provide.”

“Online safety researchers defend our young people from exploitation by pornographers, protect our democracy from foreign propaganda and election interference, and protect our elders from economic fraud and exploitation,” said former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor and CRSM Co-chair Kerry Healey. “Denying entry to the very people who identify and mitigate the worst harms of the internet is not promoting free speech, it is simply giving global bad actors a free pass to hurt American citizens. As a former college president, I saw firsthand how our increasingly toxic online environment contributed to an unprecedented global youth mental health crisis and hurt our democracy. To create a brighter future for America’s youth and our democracy, we need to invest in and support the people who can allow us to better understand emerging online threats, not make their work unnecessarily difficult.”

“In an era where the battle against disinformation is more critical than ever, it is essential to support research efforts by all qualified individuals, including H-1B visa holders,” said former member of Congress (R-VA) and CRSM member Denver Riggleman. “Denying these talented professionals the opportunity to contribute to propaganda research and online integrity not only stifles innovation, but also undermines our collective ability to combat the harmful effects of conspiracy theories and radicalization. We must embrace diverse perspectives and expertise in this fight, regardless of their visa status.”

“Fact-checking and content moderation are critical to online safety everywhere, helping to ensure users have access to reliable information and agency over their digital experiences,” said Senior Counsel and Director of Digital Justice and Civil Rights for Free Press and CRSM member Nora Benavidez. “By framing these kinds of jobs as censorial, the administration adds to its ever-growing list of distortions, manipulations, and lies. Hypocritical, yes. Dangerous, yes. This administration’s relentless attack on free speech, seen here in its heightened scrutiny of visa applicants’ speech online, chills inquiry and association around the world.”

“The decision to stop civil society leaders from working in this country is a potentially calamitous move,” said Issue One Vice President of Advocacy Alix Fraser. “There is a battle between democracy and authoritarianism raging in our online information environment, but democracy can win by shining a light on what happens behind the screen and holding those in power accountable for the harms they cause. We must support the researchers who exemplify democratic ideals because Americans deserve a healthier online information environment that enhances our democracy.”

Read the full FOIA request and read our Substack on this issue to learn more about why this matters for our democracy.