A whistleblower who used to work at the Department of Homeland Security says a policy “prevented” screeners from checking the public online activity of visa applicants.

“During that time period, immigration officials were not allowed to us social media as a part of the screening process,” John Cohen, a former Homeland Security official tells ABC News.

He says immigration officials asked Homeland Security secretary Jeh Johnson for a “new policy” last year that would have allowed them to look at an applicant’s public social media posts. According to Cohen, they were opposed by the department’s Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

“The primary concern was that it would be viewed negatively if it was disclosed publicly,” Cohen says. “And there were concerns that it would be embarrassing.”

According to ABC News, suspected San Bernardino terrorist Tashfeen Malik received her via in three weeks and screeners were unable to look at her extensive social media history in which she called for jihad and made extremist statements.

“If Tashfeen Malik had been checked out a little more, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten that visa,” Democratic New York Sen. Charles Schumer said, according to the report.

“Maybe those people in San Bernardino would be alive,” he said.