What is social media vetting for which US paused all student visa interviews?

US has suspended all student visa interviews for the time being.

In a serious determination that would depart tens of millions of scholars worldwide in limbo, the Donald Trump administration ordered a pause on all scheduled interviews for student visa functions. All US embassies and consular sections are being despatched a cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The motive for the suspension is an in depth social media vetting, for which the administration first needs to arrange. “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days,” the cable states. (“Septel” is State Department shorthand for “separate telegram.”)

What is social media vetting?

Social media vetting is the method of going by means of the candidates’ social media actions after which weighing in on whether or not the student needs to be allowed to check in US universities. This is a part of the Donald Trump administration’s bigger crackdown on worldwide college students in response to the pro-Palestine protest that rocked the campuses final yr. It is the identical plan below which the Trump administration sought the information of worldwide college students from Harvard University. The Donald Trump administration earlier imposed some social media screening necessities however these had been largely to examine the returning college students. The State Department’s directive didn’t elaborate on what sort of intensive vetting the administration is planning however it alluded to government orders which are aimed toward maintaining out terrorists and battling antisemitism. For instance, Brown University professor Dr Rasha Alawieh was lately deported after the feds checked her telephone and located pictures of Iran’s Supreme chief. Dr Alawieh additionally attended the funeral of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in February. State Department officers complained privately for months that vetting college students has been obscure. “It’s unclear, for example, whether posting photos of a Palestinian flag on an X account could force a student to undergo additional scrutiny,” a Politico report mentioned.