US temporarily suspends visa interviews for foreign students

The US State Department has temporarily stopped scheduling new visa interviews for foreign students intending to study in the US as it prepares to expand scrutiny of their social media activity, officials said, the Associated Press and BBC reported.

A US official said on condition of anonymity on Tuesday that this ban is temporary and does not apply to applicants who already have a visa interview scheduled.

A cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio - and obtained by the Associated Press - says the State Department will issue guidelines for expanded scrutiny of social media.

"With immediate effect - in preparation for the expansion of mandatory social media screening - consular sections should not add additional capacity for visa appointments for students or exchange visitors, until new guidelines are issued," the cable states.

Asked about the ban during a press conference on Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the US uses all possible means to vet visa applicants.

“We will continue to use every tool we have to assess who comes here – whether it’s students or others,” Bruce said.

The move, first reported by Politico, is part of the Trump administration's efforts to tighten controls on international students.

Last week, the Trump administration stripped Harvard University of its right to enroll international students, excluding it from a program that allows colleges to sponsor visas for foreign students.

This decision was immediately challenged in court and is currently suspended by a federal judge.

In the spring, the administration also revoked the legal status of thousands of foreign students in the US, forcing some of them to leave due to fear of deportation.

After many successful lawsuits, the administration restored their legal status, but also expanded the grounds for revoking students' legal status in the future.

An extended suspension of student visa interview scheduling could cause delays that jeopardize student enrollment in the summer and fall semesters./ REL