WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department has stopped scheduling new visa interviews Foreign students Officials said they hope to study in the US while preparing to expand screening for social media activities.
US officials said Tuesday that the suspension was intended to be temporary and would not apply to applicants who had previously scheduled interviews. The formula spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internally controlled documents.
The cable, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by the Associated Press, says the State Department will issue guidance on expanded social media reviews.
“In preparation for the expansion of required social media screening and screening, the Consulate section should not add the ability to book student or exchange visitor visas until guidance is issued,” Cable said.
Asked about the suspension at Tuesday’s briefing, State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said the US is using all the resources available to vet people applying for visas.
“We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who is here, whether students or not,” Bruce said.
The move, first reported by Politico, is the latest in Trump administration’s crackdown international student.
Last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s capabilities Register for international studentsRemoved from the program that allows schools to sponsor international students for visas. That effort was soon challenged in court and blocked by a federal judge.
This spring, the administration has already revoked the legal status of thousands of international students in the country, leading some to leave the country from fears of deportation. After many students submitted successful legal assignments, the government said it was regaining student status, but the government also said The site has been expanded To end the legal status of international students.
President Donald Trump’s previous administration has stepped up reviews of all visa applicants and featured reviews on social media accounts. This policy remained during the Biden administration.
Extended suspensions in student visa scheduling can lead to delays that could disrupt students’ plans to enroll in summer and fall conditions.
A recession in international student registration could hurt university budgets as some institutions have moved to enrolling more international students who pay full tuition to compensate for their lack of funding.
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