Nevada’s resort industry has “serious concerns” about a proposal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that would require international visitors to provide selfies of themselves and years of social media history before being allowed into the country, according to the agency’s request for public comment last week in the Federal Register.

“High-value data fields” include biometric information — such as fingerprints and DNA — as well as current and previously used email addresses and telephone numbers.

In a statement to the Sun, the Nevada Resort Association said it was closely monitoring the proposal ahead of the public comment period’s close in February.

“International visitors come to Las Vegas not only for leisure travel, but also for trade shows and conventions,” said the Nevada Resort Association, which represents the state’s major gaming and hotel-resort companies. “It is essential that our international guests continue to feel welcome when choosing Las Vegas as their destination.”

The program includes much of Europe, as well as Australia, Japan and South Korea.

Residents of Mexico and Canada, which account for around half of Las Vegas’ international visitors, aren’t part of the program — but also are not coming as frequently to Las Vegas in large part because of the Trump administration’s tariff and immigration policies.

The resort association also noted that international tourists “stay longer and spend more during their visits,” calling the cohort “a critical component of our overall visitor mix.”

International visitors spent 14% more on accommodations each night and 47% more on food and drinks compared to their domestic counterparts in 2024, according to the LVCVA’s yearly report.

The U.S. Travel Association, chaired by MGM Resorts International President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle, said in a statement Monday that it was “deeply concerned” by the proposal demanding travelers’ social media history.

The organization, citing security experts, also questioned whether the policy would actually “meaningfully increase America’s security,” the purported reason behind CBP’s proposal.

CBP wrote in the Federal Register that the rule change was in response to President Donald Trump’s January executive order on “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”

“This policy could have a chilling effect on travel to the United States,” the U.S. Travel Association wrote. “If we get this policy wrong, millions of travelers could take their business and the billions of dollars they spend elsewhere, only making America weaker.”

U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., wrote Monday on X that, with Trump’s ongoing trade war, collecting travelers’ social media history would “double down” on the United States’ isolation.

Horsford also emphasized the depressed number of international travelers at Harry Reid International Airport, which he attributed to Trump’s trade war.

“There is no upside to snooping through years of social media posts from people who simply want to visit the U.S.,” the Southern Nevada representative wrote. “But there is a clear downside: fewer and fewer people will visit destinations like Las Vegas.”

Nevada’s resort industry has “serious concerns” about a proposal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that would require international visitors to provide selfies of themselves and years of social media history before being allowed into the country, according to the agency’s request for public comment last week in the Federal Register.

“High-value data fields” include biometric information — such as fingerprints and DNA — as well as current and previously used email addresses and telephone numbers.

In a statement to the Sun, the Nevada Resort Association said it was closely monitoring the proposal ahead of the public comment period’s close in February.

“International visitors come to Las Vegas not only for leisure travel, but also for trade shows and conventions,” said the Nevada Resort Association, which represents the state’s major gaming and hotel-resort companies. “It is essential that our international guests continue to feel welcome when choosing Las Vegas as their destination.”

The program includes much of Europe, as well as Australia, Japan and South Korea.

Residents of Mexico and Canada, which account for around half of Las Vegas’ international visitors, aren’t part of the program — but also are not coming as frequently to Las Vegas in large part because of the Trump administration’s tariff and immigration policies.

The resort association also noted that international tourists “stay longer and spend more during their visits,” calling the cohort “a critical component of our overall visitor mix.”

International visitors spent 14% more on accommodations each night and 47% more on food and drinks compared to their domestic counterparts in 2024, according to the LVCVA’s yearly report.

The U.S. Travel Association, chaired by MGM Resorts International President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle, said in a statement Monday that it was “deeply concerned” by the proposal demanding travelers’ social media history.

The organization, citing security experts, also questioned whether the policy would actually “meaningfully increase America’s security,” the purported reason behind CBP’s proposal.

CBP wrote in the Federal Register that the rule change was in response to President Donald Trump’s January executive order on “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”

“This policy could have a chilling effect on travel to the United States,” the U.S. Travel Association wrote. “If we get this policy wrong, millions of travelers could take their business and the billions of dollars they spend elsewhere, only making America weaker.”

U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., wrote Monday on X that, with Trump’s ongoing trade war, collecting travelers’ social media history would “double down” on the United States’ isolation.

Horsford also emphasized the depressed number of international travelers at Harry Reid International Airport, which he attributed to Trump’s trade war.

“There is no upside to snooping through years of social media posts from people who simply want to visit the U.S.,” the Southern Nevada representative wrote. “But there is a clear downside: fewer and fewer people will visit destinations like Las Vegas.”