Trump Administration Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Plans for Expanded Social Media Vetting

The Trump administration has directed U.S. embassies and consulates to halt the scheduling of student visa interviews, as it weighs the possibility of expanding social media screening for international students seeking to study in the United States, according to a report by Politico.

The report says that a cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio states that “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor … visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.”

A recent State Department cable revealed that new guidance on student visa processing would be issued “in the coming days.” While a USA Today report noted that State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment directly on the directive, she emphasized that the U.S. government would

“continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.”

This development follows a move last month by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to begin screening immigrants’ social media accounts for antisemitic content, a step that could be used as grounds for denying immigration benefits.

It’s the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration targeting international students. Just last month, the government revoked over 1,700 student visas  including those of three Syracuse University students though the decision was reversed days later amid a wave of legal challenges.

In a separate move, the administration recently revoked Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students, impacting over 6,800 students currently attending the school. The action is part of a growing standoff between the Trump administration and Harvard, following the university’s refusal to comply with sweeping demands for policy and leadership changes. In retaliation, the government froze more than $2.2 billion in federal grants to the institution.