Trump Administration Halts New Student Visa Interviews Over Anti-Semitism Concerns

On May 27, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a new directive suspending new visa interviews for international students. The order aims to curb anti-Semitic and leftist ideologies allegedly spreading on American university campuses.

Rubio instructed all U.S. embassies globally to stop scheduling new interviews for student visas, as the Trump administration plans to tighten scrutiny of students' social media activity. Until further instructions are issued, consular sections are not permitted to allow appointments for student or exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J categories).

The suspension applies to F, M, and J visa categories, which cover most international students and exchange visitors. The administration claims that individuals under these programs may pose national security risks or contribute to an anti-Semitic environment.

The government has directed visa officers to review students' activity on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), including posts, likes, shares, and comments. This step is intended to flag content deemed as potential threats to national security.

According to The Guardian, officials have been monitoring social media since March, especially students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. Screenshots are being taken of offensive posts—even if those posts are later deleted.

While the current order doesn’t define exactly what social media activity will disqualify an applicant, earlier reviews specifically targeted students involved in Palestine-related activism.