Trump Administration Freezes Student Visa Interviews Amid Expanded Social Media Screening

The Trump administration has ordered an immediate halt to student visa interviews at U.S. embassies worldwide as it prepares to roll out sweeping social media screening for all international applicants.

According to a confidential State Department cable sent Tuesday, consular sections have been instructed to pause scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J categories) pending further guidance. The move could cause major delays in visa processing, potentially impacting U.S. universities that depend heavily on international student enrollment.

The directive, first reported by Politico, confirmed by The Guardian, is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration targeting what it describes as national security risks – a category that critics say now includes students who show online support for Palestinian causes.

The cable states that the department is “conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor visa applicants,” with plans to introduce expanded social media screening protocols. This would apply to all applicants, not just those flagged for political activism.

Already, since March, consular officers have been required to review social media activity for signs of “terrorist activity or affiliation,” including pro-Palestinian sentiment. Officers were also instructed to take screenshots of any “potentially derogatory” posts, even if such content was later deleted.

The new policy raises concerns of overreach and discrimination, with some experts warning it could have a chilling effect on free speech and disproportionately target certain nationalities or political views.

Senator Marco Rubio revealed that thousands of visas have already been revoked under the current screening procedures. “We probably have more to do,” he told fellow lawmakers last week.

Higher education stakeholders have expressed alarm at the potential consequences. With over one million international students in the U.S. contributing $43.8 billion to the economy and supporting more than 378,000 jobs, institutions say the freeze could worsen already declining international enrollment.

As universities grapple with funding pressures and political scrutiny, this latest move adds to the uncertainty surrounding the future of foreign student participation in American education. Further guidance from the State Department is expected in the coming days.