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IFCN condemns U.S. visa crackdown targeting fact-checkers, others

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
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THE International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has condemned the United States recent move to tighten visa access for fact-checkers, content moderators and other professionals in the information integrity space.

The FactCheckHub had earlier reported that the U.S. government instructed its consular offices to apply stricter vetting procedures for H-1B visa applicants. The memo, issued on December 2, 2025, directed officers to deny applications from individuals deemed to have participated in what it described as “free speech censorship.” The policy targets highly skilled workers, including those in journalism, moderation and safety roles.

In a statement signed by its executive director, Angie Holan, on December 9, 2025, the IFCN criticised the decision and emphasised the essential public-interest role of fact-checking.

“Fact-checking is journalism. It is the straightforward work of comparing public claims against the best available evidence and publishing the results for all to see,” Holan said, stressing that the practice strengthens public debate rather than stifles it.

She added that the U.S., long regarded as a global defender of press freedom, risks undermining that reputation with policies that conflate fact-checking with censorship.

“This work strengthens public debate; it does not censor it. It is protected within the United States by the First Amendment, and the U.S. has long supported similar press freedoms internationally. To conflate this work with censorship is to misunderstand what fact-checkers do, or to deliberately misrepresent it,” she stated.

The IFCN also raised concerns that the announcement could endanger the safety and credibility of professionals who help safeguard the public from exploitation, fraud, scams and coordinated harassment. It stressed that both fact-checking and content moderation contribute to a healthier information environment and, ultimately, protect freedom of expression.

The IFCN, a global network of more than 170 nonpartisan organisations in over 80 countries, noted that its members do not remove content but instead “add information to the public record.”

It argued that an informed public and a free press are essential to democratic governance, warning that policies undermining truth-telling raise serious concerns for journalists worldwide.

Established in 2015 at the Poynter Institute, the IFCN was created to unite fact-checkers worldwide and advance the fight against misinformation through collaboration, capacity building, and advocacy. It continues to support high standards of transparency and accuracy among all signatories to its Code of Principles.

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Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

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