According to an internal memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the administration of United States President Donald Trump is temporarily suspending the processing of visas for foreign students.
The cable prompted the US media to ban “any additional student or exchange visa appointment capacity… until further guidance is issued” in the Tuesday cable.
The State Department “plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applications,” the statement continued.
The Trump administration’s continued pressure on universities and students is the latest blow to foreign nationals looking to study in the US.
In a wider conflict over Harvard University’s response to pro-Palestine protests and its diversity initiatives, the administration last week revoked the university’s consent to admitting international students. The move has been temporarily stalled by a federal judge.
Rubio has also requested that the processing pause be done in response to his attempts to revoke hundreds of visas for foreign students, citing minor legal blunders or pro-Palestine advocacy.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday, saying in general that “we take very seriously the process of vetting who enters the country.” She did not directly respond to the cable.
According to the president and secretary Rubio, the goal is to ensure that those present understand what the law is, that they don’t have any criminal intentions, that they will contribute to the experience here, no matter how brief or long their status may be, she said.
Bruce further stated that while applying for student visas, applicants should expect more in-depth scrutiny.
Follow the usual procedures, the usual procedures, and [anticipate being looked at,” she said.
Rubio’s cable did not provide a suspension schedule, but instead advised diplomatic staff to follow through with the “coming days” plan.
ongoing difficulties
Concerning academic freedom and the rights of people living in the US on temporary visas, the Trump administration’s actions toward higher education have raised contentious constitutional issues.
A full accounting of the revoked visas that Trump had requested from lawmakers in the US Senate last week was not made public.
Rubio has relied on a mysterious law that the administration maintains grants broad authority to deport foreigners who violate US foreign policy objectives.
Lawyers for several students who have been targeted by Rubio for pro-Palestine views have argued that their clients’ freedom of speech is being violated. They include Mohsen Mahdawi, Rumeysa Ozturk, Mohsen Mahdawi, and Badar Khan Suri.
Harvard University has also claimed that the Trump administration is violating its rights by cutting funding and preventing foreign students from enrolling in Harvard University.
Source: Aljazeera
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