US Mulls Mandatory Social Media Vetting For All Foreign Student Visa Applicants: Report

Trump administration is reportedly considering making social media vetting mandatory for all international applicants to study in the United States.

According to the cable, which was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday (27 May), the administration is directing US Embassies and consular sections to postpone setting up new interviews for such student visa applicants in anticipation of the necessary vetting, POLITICO reported.

The administration's plan could significantly slow down the processing of student visas if it is implemented. It might also affect a lot of universities that depend on international students to increase their revenue.

“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” - State Department shorthand for “separate telegram.”)

Some social media screening requirements had previously been put in place by the administration, but they were primarily directed at returning students who might have taken part in demonstrations against Israeli policy in Gaza.

The cable makes reference to executive orders intended to prevent terrorists and combat antisemitism, but it doesn't specifically outline what the future social media vetting would look for.

Numerous State Department officials have been privately complaining for months about the ambiguity of previous guidance, such as when it comes to screening students who might have taken part in protests on campus. For instance, it's unclear if sharing images of a Palestinian flag on an X account might subject a student to extra scrutiny.

The administration has targeted universities, particularly prestigious ones like Harvard, that it believes are too liberal and that permit antisemitism to thrive on their campuses through a number of regulations. Many students have been caught up in its immigration crackdowns at the same time.

The decision was criticised by the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), a group that supports international students. Fanta Aw, the group's CEO, claimed that it unfairly disparaged diligent students.

“The idea that the embassies have the time, the capacity and taxpayer dollars are being spent this way is very problematic,” Aw said. “International students are not a threat to this country. If anything, they’re an incredible asset to this country.”

Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook's parent company, Meta, chose not to comment. Questions concerning the policy were also not answered by representatives of other platforms, such as Reddit, Google, Snap, X, TikTok, Discord, and Bluesky.