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US halts new student visa interviews to expand social media vetting

The suspension precedes detailed rules for screening applicants’ online activity at embassies worldwide.

Overview

  • A State Department cable signed by Secretary Marco Rubio orders consular posts to stop scheduling any new F-1, M-1 and J-1 visa interviews until guidance on expanded social media vetting is released.
  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s authorization to enroll roughly 6,800 international students and the administration froze $2.6 billion in federal grants and sought cancellation of $100 million in contracts.
  • Harvard filed suit to overturn the enrollment ban and a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order, warning that revoking visas would cause immediate and irreparable harm.
  • Hundreds of Harvard students and faculty held demonstrations in support of foreign students and against the cuts to the university’s funding.
  • Education advocates warn the measures could disrupt fall term enrollment and undercut the $43.8 billion generated by 1.1 million international students in 2023–24.