Cortez Masto, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Reverse its Rule Authorizing Social Media Review for Tourists

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a letter led by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and co-signed by Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, demanding that they withdraw a proposed rule requiring travelers to disclose up to five years of their social media history prior to traveling to the United States and end the State Department's new practice of social media screening of non-immigrant visa applications.

International tourism into the U.S. has already been impacted by Trump's policies, with states like Nevada seeing the lowest number of visitors in 2025 in any year since the pandemic. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that travel and tourism to the United States brought in roughly $1.3 billion in spending in 2024 alone, accounting for 2.5% of the national GDP.

"These policies are further reducing already declining tourism to the United States at a time when our country should be working to welcome more tourists ahead of major international events like the World Cup," wrote the Senators. "Reduced international tourism is already harming hotels, restaurants, airlines, and the many other industries that rely on tourism in the United States."

"With this in mind, we urge the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw its proposed rule, ask the Department of State to end its practice of screening the social media history of non-immigrant visa applicants," continued the Senators.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Senator Cortez Masto is a fierce advocate for Nevada's travel and tourism economy. She has repeatedly raised concerns about the Trump Administration's policies that are driving down tourism. Ahead of the July 2026 review of the USMCA, the Senator urged Trade Representative Greer to strengthen the trade agreement while encouraging collaboration on travel and tourism. She recently held a press conference with Las Vegas business owners reliant on the travel industry who have been harmed by the Trump Administration's detrimental policies.

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