The
Trump administration
is
reportedly
thinking about expanding the range of its social media screening for everyone
foreign students
applying to pursue education in the United States.
The potential additional steps follow the administration’s increased enforcement of immigration policies, which includes canceling student visas when conducting deportations.
The State Department has instructed U.S. embassies and consular offices to halt scheduling new interview appointments for students seeking visas. According to a memo acquired by Politico, “Starting right away, as part of plans to broaden mandatory social media scrutiny and verification processes, consular units must refrain from adding more slots for student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J category) visa bookings until further notice is provided next week, which we expect shortly,” the document reads.
Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the State Department, chose not to comment on the standards used for screening immigrants or whether international students should worry about getting their visa applications processed promptly.
“We treat with great seriousness the procedure for screening individuals entering our country. This practice will persist as we keep vetting people and maintain our focus. Regardless of whether you are a student, a tourist requiring a visa, or anyone else, your background will be scrutinized,” she stated during a press briefing.
Bruce mentioned that she isn’t aware of why it’s considered “controversial.”
She mentioned that this contentious issue shouldn’t stir so much debate, asserting that all countries ought to carefully consider and do assess who is entering their borders.
According to Politico, the cable doesn’t specify what criteria future social media screenings will use; however, it hints at executive orders designed to prevent terrorists from entering and combat antisemitism.
The Trump administration has drawn considerable controversy for its deportation efforts aimed at pro-Palestinian protesters, such as Columbia’s Mahmoud Khalil. Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was virally detained in a suburb of Boston after co-writing a pro-Palestinian
op-ed.
WHAT IS DOGE? WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY?
NAFSA: The Association of International Educators criticized the decision in a statement to Politico.
The notion that embassies possess the resources and funds to allocate in such a manner is highly concerning,” stated CEO Fanta Aw. “We should recognize that international students do not pose a threat but rather serve as invaluable assets to our nation.
