US halts new student visa interviews amid plans for social media screening

The United States has temporarily stopped scheduling new student visa interviews at embassies across the globe.

The Trump administration is getting ready to bring in stricter rules on checking social media accounts of foreign students, leaving many international applicants worried about their future in the US.

The order was issued via a diplomatic cable sent on Tuesday by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “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,” Rubio wrote. According to the cable, more detailed instructions are expected soon. Interviews already booked will continue as planned.

This latest action adds to growing efforts by the administration to tighten entry rules for foreign students, citing threats to national security and concerns around campus unrest. The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have not commented on the development yet.

The sudden pause in visa processing follows previous signals from Rubio about a tougher approach. In March, he referred to students who he claimed were coming to the US not to study, but to engage in protests. Citing the case of Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was arrested and later released on bail after writing an op-ed in support of Gazans, Rubio said: “If you apply for a visa to enter the United States and be a student, and you tell us that the reason you are coming to the United States is not just because you want to write op-eds, but because you want to participate in movements that are involved in doing things like vandalizing universities, harassing students, taking over buildings, creating a ruckus—we’re not going to give you a visa.”

The visa freeze also comes on the heels of another controversy involving Harvard University. Just days ago, the DHS attempted to stop the prestigious school from enrolling international students, although that move was blocked by a federal judge. The administration has also threatened to pull back all federal contracts with Harvard, worth nearly $100 million—and US President Trump has warned of redirecting billions in grant money away from the university.

Despite the crackdown, some voices within the academic community are advocating for a more balanced approach. Speaking on Fox Business, Kevin O’Leary, a lecturer at Harvard Business School, said: “These students are extraordinary individuals and they don’t hate America. Why don’t we vet them first, check their backgrounds, clear them, and tell them, ‘You graduate Harvard, you’re an engineer or whatever, you stay here and you start a business here and you’ll get funded here and you’ll create jobs here because that’s why you came here in the first place.’”