Officials will expand social media vetting for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States." This follows a late May halt on student visa appointments by the Trump administration to restrict potentially hostile applicants.
These guidelines affect applicants for F, M, and J visas (students, vocational students, and exchange students, respectively). Private social media accounts may be an attempt to hide activity. A State Department official stated, "It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer." Officers will also screen for those supporting terrorists or perpetrating antisemitic acts.
This move is part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on elite universities, which President Trump views as too left-wing and failing to combat antisemitism. This effort has included freezing university funding and attempts to deport students or revoke visas, though courts have blocked many actions.
Harvard University, for instance, saw $2.65 billion in federal grants frozen, and attempts to revoke its ability to enrol international students were temporarily blocked.
Over 1.1 million international students were enrolled in U.S. colleges in the 2023-24 school year.
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