The US State Department has stopped scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students who want to study in the US. This pause is happening because the government is getting ready to check students’ social media activity more closely, officials said. A US official said on Tuesday that this stop is temporary. It does not affect students who already had their visa interview appointments scheduled.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about an internal document. A cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and seen by The Associated Press says the State Department will soon give new rules about checking social media. The cable said, “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity” until the new guidance is ready.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce explained why the pause is happening. She said, “We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.” This means the government wants to carefully check all visa applicants to keep the country safe.

Impact of the new rules on international students

This action is part of a larger effort by the Donald Trump administration to increase control over international students. Last week, the government stopped Harvard University from enrolling new international students by removing the school from a visa sponsorship programme. This decision was challenged in court and is currently blocked by a judge.

Earlier this year, the government also took away legal status from thousands of international students already living in the US. Many students left the country out of fear of deportation. After some students won legal fights, the government restored their legal status but made rules stricter for future cases.

The Trump administration started reviewing visa applicants’ social media accounts, and this continued under President Joe Biden’s administration. The new pause in visa interviews may delay students’ plans to join US schools for summer and fall terms.

A drop in international students can affect university budgets. Many colleges depend on international students because they pay full tuition, which helps make up for cuts in federal research funding. This new change could cause big problems for both students and schools.

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