According to an internal U.S. State Department cable leaked on Tuesday, the Trump administration has instructed diplomatic missions to halt new visa appointments for students (F visas), vocational training (M visas), and exchange scholars (J visas). At the same time, the State Department is preparing to expand social media background checks for these visa applicants, marking a new step in the administration's strict immigration policy.
According to the cable, Secretary of State Rubio stated that the State Department is evaluating current visa screening processes and plans to release new policy guidance. Until the evaluation is completed, consular districts should pause scheduling new visa interviews. Appointments that have already been scheduled can proceed under current rules, but unoccupied slots will be cancelled.
Politico was the first to disclose the content of the cable. The document states: "The State Department is reviewing screening procedures for student and exchange scholar visas (F, M, J) and will broaden the scope of social media checks based on this review."
The cable also specifically mentions that the enhancement of social media scrutiny will place greater demands on the operation methods and resource allocation of consulates, suggesting consulates fully consider the human and time costs before handling each case.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on the veracity of the cable's content at a news briefing that day but emphasized, "We will continue to use all measures to assess individuals coming to the U.S., regardless of their identity."
This policy upgrade is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten immigration. Government officials recently stated that foreigners holding student visas or green cards who publicly support Palestinians or criticize Israel's actions in the Gaza War on social media may be viewed as a threat to U.S. foreign policy, potentially leading to deportation or visa revocation. Such remarks could even be classified as "supporting Hamas."
Additionally, the cable suggests that diplomatic missions allocate more resources to handling U.S. citizen services, immigrant visas, and anti-fraud affairs in response to the upcoming system adjustments.
The measure has raised widespread concern among human rights organizations and academic groups, criticizing it as a potential infringement on academic freedom and speech rights. Several American universities have already urged the government to clarify related policies and ensure the legitimate rights of international students.
