prospective international students to the U.S. were dealt another blow when U.S. embassies were ordered not to schedule any new student visa interviews while the Trump Administration prepares to expand its vetting of applicants’ social media profiles.
“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 (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued … in the coming days,” a Tuesday diplomatic cable reportedly said, which was first reported by Politico.
In a statement to the South China Morning Post, the State Department said, “As a general matter, we don’t comment on the authenticity or veracity of allegedly leaked cables.” An unnamed U.S. official confirmed details of the order to the Associated Press.
It’s the latest move in President Donald Trump’s crackdown on universities across the U.S. and international students, who have been especially targeted as the federal government exercises its control over immigration policy.
Thousands of international students at Harvard were left in the lurch when the Trump Administration revoked the esteemed university’s authorization to enroll foreign students on May 22—one of a series of penalties for what the Administration says is a result of Harvard’s noncompliance with a list of demands. (The revocation is being challenged in court.) The Administration also quietly abruptly cancelled the visas of thousands of international students across the country before reversing the move, and a number of foreign-born students have been targeted for immigration action—in some cases related to pro-Palestinian campus activism, while in others for no apparent reason.
