U.S. Suspends Student Visa Appointments Amid Social Media Vetting Expansion
U.S. suspends student visa appointments worldwide as the Trump administration prepares to enforce stricter social media screening for international students. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a directive instructing U.S. embassies to pause new visa interview appointments until further notice.
Embassies Told to Halt New Interviews
A memo obtained by CBS News revealed that the administration plans to expand social media vetting for student and exchange visa applicants. Though specific criteria remain unclear, the State Department warned embassies and consulates to prepare for major changes to current procedures.
Embassies will still honor appointments already on the calendar. However, they must not schedule any new student or exchange visa interviews for now.
Trump Targets Academia and Campus Speech
President Trump has intensified scrutiny of elite U.S. universities. He accuses them of promoting left-leaning ideologies and fostering antisemitism. His administration has used visa policy as a tool to assert control, with student screening becoming a central part of that effort.
The Guardian reported that U.S. officials are already checking students’ social media for content they label as “support for terrorist activity.” Critics argue this disproportionately affects pro-Palestinian students and applicants from Muslim-majority countries.
Harvard and Other Institutions in the Crosshairs
The administration has canceled thousands of visas, deported students, and frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. Harvard alone faces a $100 million cut. A judge recently blocked a policy that would have barred the university from enrolling international students, citing constitutional violations.
Foreign students often pay higher tuition and contribute significantly to university budgets. Many schools warn that the administration’s aggressive stance could harm the reputation and financial health of U.S. higher education.
Security vs. Academic Freedom
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the new measures. “We take very seriously the process of vetting who comes into the country, and we will continue to do that,” she said.
However, U.S. Suspends Student Visa Appointments civil rights groups and university leaders see the policy as an attack on free speech and academic independence. They fear it marks a dangerous shift in how the U.S. treats international students and global scholarship.
