The Trump administration has instructed US diplomatic missions globally to halt scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants, as the State Department prepares to enhance social media vetting procedures, an internal cable showed on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed consular sections to stop scheduling new visa interviews for F, M, and J visa types until they complete a review of the screening process. Although officials will still process previously scheduled appointments according to current rules, they have removed all available future slots.
“The Department is reviewing current operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor visa applicants,” the cable reported, noting that new social media vetting guidance is due out shortly.
A senior State Department official confirmed the cable’s authenticity but declined further comment. Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce affirmed that the US government will “use every tool” to vet those seeking entry, including students, amid heightened security concerns.
The action is one of the administration’s larger agenda to tighten immigration controls, which has involved stepped-up deportations and visa revocation, focusing on people who are viewed as opposed to US foreign policy.
The news has prompted protests on American campuses. Hundreds of students and professors at Harvard attended on Tuesday to express solidarity with foreign students and to resist the administration’s move, including efforts to block federal funding to the elite school.
Critics argue that the administration’s policies violate free speech rights protected by the First Amendment, especially after authorities deported student visa holders and green card holders for publicly supporting Palestinians or criticizing Israeli actions in Gaza.
