Standing firm on its America First agenda, the Trump administration has instructed embassies and consulates worldwide to halt new visa appointments for international students.
See the tweet below!
This pause supports an upcoming rollout of expanded social media vetting processes, a move likely to face backlash from the open-borders crowd.
The U.S. State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s directive, has suspended new student visa interviews globally.
This action, communicated via a diplomatic cable, prepares for a broader social media screening for all student visa applicants.
Established appointments remain, but no new slots will open until the department completes its review.
The administration aims to keep America secure by reviewing current visa operations and assessing the necessity for stricter applicant vetting.
Concerns revolve around potential infiltration by bad actors under the guise of students, a risk that cannot be ignored.
The administration emphasizes the need for vigilance in the face of growing global threats.
Secretary Rubio’s cable clearly instructs consular offices to refrain from adding new appointments.
Prioritization will focus on U.S. citizens, immigrant visas, and fraud prevention services.
By pausing these appointments, embassies can allocate resources appropriately to ramp up social media reviews of prospective students.
“The U.S. State Department has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates around the world to pause new student visa appointments as it develops guidance to expand ‘social media screening and vetting’ to all applicants for student visas, according to a diplomatic cable seen by CNN,” WDSU reports.
This decision aligns with the Trump administration’s previous actions, including rescinding student visas and attempting to halt foreign enrollments at institutions like Harvard University.
“It instructs embassies and consulates, effective immediately, not to add ‘any additional student or exchange visa…appointment capacity until further guidance is issued,’ and to remove ‘appointments that are available, but not taken as of the release of this cable,'” reports CNN.
Critics argue this limits access to U.S. educational opportunities, but it’s a necessary stance to protect the nation’s interests.
The involvement of social media in vetting processes could slow down visa approvals, impacting international students’ plans to study in the U.S.
🚨 #BREAKING: President Trump and Secretary Rubio have just put a hold on ALL new student visas, per Politico
The administration wants to put in new measures to vet the social media accounts of new applicants
GOOD! Stop the flow of anti-American jihadis into our country! pic.twitter.com/Ym7635VHlQ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 27, 2025
However, the priority remains ensuring that those granted access do not pose risks to America’s security or values.
This decision reflects broader efforts to scrutinize entries further, citing faculty members and students as potential conduits for unsafe ideologies.
The Trump administration’s policy prioritizes both national security and the preservation of American educational eminence amid international pressures.
