The U.S. Department of State’s move to start conducting the “online presence reviews,” and bar applicants from keeping their social media accounts set to “private,” echoes a policy imposed earlier for student visas. Accounts of H-1B and H-4 applicants must be set to “public” by Dec. 15, the State Department said.

Trump has said he wants to impose steep fees on visas and casts the restrictions as part of a broader attempt to protect workers.

An internal State Department memo said that anyone involved in "censorship" of free speech should be considered for rejection.

Group H features Spain, Cabo, Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Group H's games will be played in Atlanta, Miami, Guadalajara and Houston. Nations from around the globe will compete for the World Cup in June. Four teams in Group H will compete to advance to the knockout rounds.

The State Department is ordering a new layer of scrutiny telling applicants for key visas to make their social media public.