WEB DESK
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consular offices to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants, as the Donald Trump administration is considering strict vetting of applicants’ social media profiles. This directive would mark a broader application of existing vetting procedures to restrict foreign students’ entry to American schools and colleges.
Earlier, the Trump administration decided to bar Harvard University from enrolling international students. Following Trump’s order, Harvard University condemned the decision as unlawful and unwarranted and said that the decision “imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars.”
A State Department message sent on Tuesday said: “Consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.” The instruction applies to student and exchange visas, which many foreign students need to study in the US.
The pause could lead to long delays in visa processing and impact universities that depend on international students for income. More than one million international students were studying in the US in the past year, contributing nearly $43.8 billion to the US economy, according to the NAFSA association.