U.S. stops scheduling visa interviews for international college students : NPR

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Mark Schiefelbein/AP WASHINGTON — The State Division has halted the scheduling of recent visa interviews for international college students hoping to review within the U.S. whereas it prepares to develop the screening of their exercise on social media, officers stated.

A U.S. official stated Tuesday the suspension is meant to be non permanent and doesn't apply to candidates who already had scheduled their visa interviews. The official spoke on situation of anonymity to debate an inside administration doc.

A cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Related Press says the State Division plans to situation steerage on expanded social media vetting.

"Efficient instantly, in preparation for an growth of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections mustn't add any extra pupil or trade customer visa appointment capability" till the steerage is issued, the cable says.

Requested in regards to the suspension at a briefing Tuesday, State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated the U.S. makes use of each out there useful resource to vet individuals making use of for visas.

"We are going to proceed to make use of each instrument we will to evaluate who it's that is coming right here, whether or not they're college students or in any other case," Bruce stated.

The transfer, first reported by Politico, is the most recent within the Trump administration's crackdown on worldwide college students.

Final week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard College's means to enroll worldwide college students, eradicating the school from this system that enables faculties to sponsor international college students for visas. That effort was rapidly challenged in court docket and for now's blocked by a federal decide.

This spring the administration additionally revoked the authorized standing of 1000's of worldwide college students already within the nation, main some to go away the U.S. out of concern of deportation. After many college students filed profitable authorized challenges, the administration stated it was restoring the scholars' authorized standing. However the authorities additionally expanded the grounds for terminating worldwide college students' authorized standing going ahead.

President Donald Trump's earlier administration stepped up scrutiny of all visa candidates, introducing critiques of their social media accounts. The coverage remained throughout President Joe Biden's administration.

An prolonged pause in scheduling pupil visas may result in delays that will disrupt school, boarding-school or trade college students' plans to enroll in summer time and fall phrases.

A downturn in enrollment of worldwide college students may harm college budgets. To make up for cuts in federal analysis funding, some schools shifted to enrolling extra worldwide college students, who typically pay full tuition.