WASHINGTON, USA — The Trump administration has directed U.S. embassies to suspend new student visa appointments, citing preparations to expand social media vetting of foreign applicants.
The move marks the latest escalation in the administration’s campaign targeting elite universities and foreign student entry.
A diplomatic memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed embassies and consulates to cancel all unscheduled student and foreign exchange visa appointments “until further guidance is issued.”
However, those with existing appointments will still be allowed to proceed.
The directive indicates the U.S. State Department is gearing up to implement “an expansion of required social media screening and vetting” for student visa applicants — a measure the memo says will have “significant implications” for U.S. diplomatic missions worldwide.
Foreign students applying to study in the United States are generally required to undergo an in-person interview at an embassy or consulate in their home country before a visa can be granted.
The pause is expected to impact institutions that depend heavily on foreign student enrolment — a key source of higher tuition revenue.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed the development in a briefing Tuesday, May 27, 2025 stating: “We take very seriously the process of vetting who it is that comes into the country, and we’re going to continue to do that.”
The policy shift comes amid growing tension between President Donald Trump and some of the United States’ most prestigious universities, including Harvard.
Trump has accused certain campuses of enabling antisemitism through pro-Palestinian demonstrations and maintaining discriminatory admissions policies.
Last week, the administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students and host visiting scholars, citing compliance failures.
A federal judge has since blocked the move, allowing affected students to remain enrolled for the time being.
Over the course of his term, President Trump has frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds allocated to universities, attempted to deport foreign students en masse, and revoked thousands of existing student visas.
Many of these actions have been challenged in court, with judges blocking some measures as unconstitutional.
Critics say the administration’s hardline stance is not only a political attack on free speech and academic independence but also risks undermining the U.S. higher education system’s global standing.
Harvard, where more than one in four students are international, could face serious setbacks if the visa restrictions are upheld.
College leaders and civil liberties groups have accused the White House of using administrative tools to punish dissent and stifle campus activism, particularly pro-Palestinian speech.
The administration insists the actions are part of a broader effort to safeguard national security and protect students from hate speech.
