The Trump administration has ordered U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to pause new student visa interviews.
The move is part of a plan to expand social media checks for all foreign students applying to study in the U.S.
A confidential cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and seen by multiple news outlets, confirms the order.
Highlights
- The Trump administration has ordered a freeze on new U.S. student visa interviews to expand social media checks for applicants.
- The visa pause began May 27, delaying processing crucial for thousands of international students aiming to start their studies in the U.S. in the fall.
- Harvard and other elite U.S. universities face government actions and funding freezes tied to foreign student enrollment.
The Trump administration has ordered U.S. embassies to pause new student visa interviews
Image credits: The White House/ Flickr
It instructs consular officers to stop adding new student visa interviews until the State Department gives further instructions.
The directive took effect immediately on Tuesday, May 27.
The cable states that the State Department “is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants.”
The visa types include academic students, vocational students, and exchange visitors.
Since 2019, visa applicants have had to list their social media accounts on applications. Officials already use this information in some vetting processes.
But the Trump team now wants all student applicants to face deeper screening, including a more comprehensive review of their social media history.
Image credits: The White House/ Flickr
Officials haven’t explained exactly what this expanded vetting will include.
Recent precedent shows social media screening requirements aimed at students who expressed political views online—especially those who criticized Israel or joined protests in support of Gaza.
The timing of this decision is critical, as it could delay visa processing for thousands of international students hoping to begin studies in the U.S. this fall.
It also puts pressure on universities that depend on international tuition fees.
Most students begin applying for visas now to start school in August or September. To get a visa, students need to receive an admission letter, pay a deposit, and wait for the required forms from their university. This process usually starts in late spring or early summer.
“Now is exactly when students would be applying for visas to start school in August,” Charles Kuck, a lawyer working with students whose visas were revoked earlier this year, told CNN.
“The timing is no accident. This is designed to significantly damage foreign student enrollment in the fall, and hurt the many universities that rely on these students.”
Image credits: Alex Brandon/Getty Images
In the 2023-24 academic year, over 1.1 million international students were enrolled at American universities. Their tuition helps fund programs and staff salaries at U.S. schools.
“An embassy or consulate’s capacity reflects the time required for consular officers to adjudicate the cases before them in full compliance with U.S. law, including to ensure applicants do not pose a security or safety risk to the United States,” the spokesperson said.
The Trump administration has taken several actions against universities, especially elite institutions like Harvard that it views as too “liberal” and accuses of failing to address antisemitism on campus.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security tried to block Harvard from enrolling international students. The courts stopped that action after the university filed a lawsuit.
Recently, the administration tried to block Harvard from enrolling international students
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Alan Garber, Harvard’s president, called the government’s actions perplexing in an interview with NPR. He said the decision to target Harvard would hurt Americans.
“Why cut off research funding?” Garber asked. “Sure, it hurts Harvard, but it hurts the country because after all, the research funding is not a gift. The research funding is given to universities and other research institutions to carry out work—research work— that the federal government designates as high-priority work. It is work that they want done.”
He said the measures taken by the government don’t actually affect the people they believe are causing problems.
The White House has frozen billions in federal contracts and grants for Harvard. The New York Times reported that it also intends to end all remaining contracts with the Ivy League school.
Garber called on other university leaders to defend their institutions.
“We must stand firm in our commitment to … education, pursuit of the truth, helping to educate people for better futures.”
The decision has upset many in the higher education sector. The Association of International Educators (NAFSA), an advocacy group for international students, said this action “unfairly cast aspersions on hardworking students.”
“International students are not a threat to this country. If anything, they’re an incredible asset to this country,” NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw said.
Last week, Trump posted on Truth Social that the home countries of some international students are “not at all friendly to the United States” and "pay NOTHING toward their student's education.”
Trump has also said his administration wants “to know who those foreign students are.”
The State Department has not said when it will issue new guidelines or lift its visa moratorium.