Trump admin halts student visas to expand vetting for anti-Israel social media posts

US President Donald Trump's administration has temporarily frozen new visa interview appointments for foreign students as it considers expanding mandatory social media screening for all applicants, according to a classified diplomatic cable obtained by Politico. 

The directive, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and dated Tuesday, reportedly instructs US embassies and consulates worldwide to suspend adding appointment slots for F, M, and J visas, categories that cover academic, vocational, and exchange visitors, pending further instructions.

"Effective immediately... consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued," the US outlet cited the cable as saying.

The pause is part of a broader push by the administration to step up vetting measures for international students, building on earlier efforts that targeted some students involved in campus protests over Israel's war on Gaza.

If implemented, the new policy would significantly slow down visa processing and could have wide-reaching consequences for US universities, many of which rely heavily on international students for tuition revenue.

The State Department has not yet commented on the cable or the broader plan.

Earlier this month, the administration moved to strip Harvard University of its certification to enrol international students, citing concerns over campus protests, alleged antisemitism, and supposed ties to "foreign entities".

The unprecedented move forced foreign students to transfer or risk losing their legal status, and was widely viewed as retaliation against institutions resisting federal demands for greater oversight of admissions, disciplinary records, and campus governance.

Trump's administration has also demanded protest and conduct records for non-immigrant students, issuing veiled threats of further action against universities that don’t comply.

It has also detained students on university grounds, including prominent Columbia alumnus Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University’s Rumeysa Ozturk, both of whom were apprehended and had their visas revoked after engaging in activism supporting Gaza, where Israel’s assault has been described by UN bodies, human rights organisations, and legal experts as genocidal.