The Trump administration has ordered U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants, as the State Department prepares to implement expanded social media screening for foreign students, according to an internal cable obtained by Reuters.
According to Reuters, the directive, issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marks a significant escalation in President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration agenda and is expected to affect thousands of prospective international students, particularly those applying for F, M, and J category visas.
Pending Guidance on Social Media Vetting
Rubio’s cable, first reported by Politico, instructs consular sections to halt scheduling new appointments until updated guidance is issued following a review of current screening and vetting processes. While visa appointments already scheduled may proceed under existing rules, any unscheduled availability is to be removed from embassy and consulate calendars.
“The Department is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor visa applicants,” the cable states, “and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants.”
A senior State Department official confirmed the authenticity of the cable. Though spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment directly on its contents, she affirmed the administration’s commitment to stringent screening measures: “We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.”
Backlash From Universities and Civil Liberties Advocates
The announcement has drawn immediate criticism from academic institutions and free speech advocates. At Harvard University, several hundred students and professors rallied in support of international students while denouncing the administration’s broader crackdown on higher education and immigration. The protest also highlighted recent attempts by the Trump administration to strip the university of its ability to enroll foreign students, a group that currently makes up nearly 27% of Harvard’s student body.
“This is not just about visas — it’s about academic freedom, it’s about free speech, and it’s about the future of global education,” one Harvard faculty member told Reuters.
The administration has justified some of its recent immigration enforcement actions, including revoking student visas and targeting green card holders, by citing national security concerns. Officials have linked some students’ public support for Palestinian rights or criticism of Israel to alleged threats against U.S. foreign policy.
Critics, however, argue that these measures are politically motivated and violate First Amendment protections. In one high-profile case, a Turkish student from Tufts University was detained for over six weeks in an immigration facility in Louisiana after co-authoring a newspaper article critical of her university’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. A federal judge later ordered her release on bail.
