The Trump administration has ordered U.S. missions abroad to halt the scheduling of new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants as the State Department plans to expand social media vetting for foreign students.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in an internal cable that the department intends to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants after completing a review. Consular sections have been advised to stop scheduling new visa appointments until the guidance is issued.
The big picture: The move comes as part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to fulfill its hardline immigration agenda, which includes ramping up deportations and revoking student visas.
- Already scheduled appointments can proceed under the current guidelines, but available appointments not already taken should be pulled down, according to Rubio’s cable.
- The State Department is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor visa applicants. The plans entail expanded social media vetting for all such applicants, requiring consular sections to modify their operations, processes, and resource allocation.
- The cable advises consular sections to consider workload and resource requirements before scheduling appointments and emphasizes the need to remain focused on services for U.S. citizens, immigrant visas, and fraud prevention.
Go deeper: Additionally, the Trump administration has stated that student visa and green card holders could face deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, which has been deemed a threat to U.S. foreign policy.
