The White House has directed U.S. embassies worldwide to temporarily cease scheduling new appointments for student visas as the Trump administration prepares to broaden its social media screening procedures for applicants. This move represents the latest in a series of restrictions impacting international students seeking to study in the United States.
According to a cable dated Tuesday, obtained by CBS News, Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed diplomatic missions to halt the scheduling of any new student and foreign exchange visa appointments.
This directive is in anticipation of an expanded vetting process. The cable also instructs posts to remove any currently unfilled appointments from their schedules. Students who have already secured their visa interview appointments will still be permitted to proceed. The suspension of new appointments is expected to remain in effect “until further guidance is issued” in the coming days.
The State Department’s cable indicates that it is preparing for an “expansion of required social media screening and vetting,” which could potentially subject all student visa applicants to social media checks. The cable further notes that this enhanced screening process will have “significant implications” for the operations of embassies and consulates, necessitating the temporary pause on new appointment scheduling.
The news of this directive was initially reported by Politico. CBS News has reached out to both the State Department and the White House for official comments on this new policy.
Typically, international students intending to pursue academic studies in the U.S. are required to attend interviews at an American embassy or consulate, usually located in their home country, as part of the visa application process. The waiting times for these appointments can vary considerably. While many embassies offer student visa interview appointments with less than two months’ notice, some diplomatic posts experience longer delays.
Last month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would be implementing social media screening for certain visa applicants, including those seeking student visas. This screening would specifically target what the DHS described as “antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals.” These screenings are part of a broader set of controls being implemented on international students, some of which have faced legal challenges.
Last week, the DHS informed Harvard University that it would no longer be permitted to enroll international students. This action marked an escalation in a month-long dispute between the administration and the Ivy League institution. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the administration was “holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.” However, Harvard University has denounced the move as illegal, and a judge swiftly issued a block on the policy.
The government has also pursued the deportation of a limited number of students based on their pro-Palestinian activism. Some of these students, including Columbia University’s Mohsen Mahdawi and Mahmoud Khalil, are green card holders. The government cited a law allowing for visa revocation if an individual poses “adverse foreign policy consequences.” Lawyers representing these students argue that the visa revocations violate their First Amendment rights, although the government maintains its right to take such action. Some students, including Mahdawi, have been released on bail.
Furthermore, legal representatives contend that the Trump administration has attempted to terminate the legal status of thousands of other international students, many of whom appear to have been targeted for minor legal infractions. A federal judge has issued an injunction to block this effort.
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