US mulls mandatory social media checks for all foreign student visa applicants

The US administration is evaluating a proposal to mandate social media reviews for all foreign students applying to study in the country.

In preparation for this potential requirement, a memorandum dated Tuesday and reportedly signed by Senator Marco Rubio, instructed US Embassies and consulates to suspend scheduling new interview appointments for student visa applicants.

A State Department directive mentioned in the memorandum states, “In preparation for the expansion of necessary social media screening and review processes, consular sections should not increase visa appointment capacity for student or exchange program participants (F, M, and J) until further instruction by septel, which we expect to be issued in the coming days.”

“Septel” is an abbreviation used by the State Department for “separate telegram.”

The administration had previously introduced some social media screening requirements, primarily targeting returning students who might have participated in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The document does not explicitly state what future social media audits will target but references presidential decrees aimed at “keeping out terrorists” and “combating antisemitism.”

According to POLITICO, many State Department officials have privately complained for months that past instructions on screening students—for example, those who might have participated in campus protests—were vague.

For instance, it remains unclear whether sharing a Palestinian flag on an X account would subject a student to additional review.

State Department: Every sovereign country’s right

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce avoided direct comment on Rubio’s reported directive, stating that no public announcement had been made.

Bruce said, “Every sovereign country has the right to determine who is trying to enter the country, why they want to enter, who they are, what they have done, and at least within that framework, what they will do here. This is not new. And we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to assess who is coming here, whether they are students or not.”

Halting or even slowing visa applications would affect hundreds of thousands of students globally and numerous educational institutions in the US, which increasingly rely on attracting international talent.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Cleveland-based immigration lawyer David Leopold suggested that such a move by the administration could be “devastating, even catastrophic” for both international students and the US universities dependent on them. Leopold emphasized that the economic and cultural impacts would be enormous.

International students: A vital financial resource for universities

International students constitute 5.9% of the approximately 19 million total US higher education population. In the 2023-2024 academic year, over 1.1 million foreign students came to the US, with India sending the largest number, followed by China.

Most international students in the US pursue studies in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Approximately 25% study mathematics and computer science, while one-fifth choose engineering.

Foreign students typically pay full tuition fees. According to the Open Doors Report, supported by the State Department, New York University, Northeastern University, and Columbia University host the largest numbers of foreign students, each with over 21,000.

The decision concerning student visa interviews on Tuesday followed by a few days an attempt by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent Harvard University from enrolling international students. A federal judge quickly issued a temporary halt to this initiative.

White House reportedly aims to terminate federal contracts with Harvard

The administration is also reportedly moving to cancel all remaining federal contracts with Harvard, valued at approximately $100 million.

The Trump administration is allegedly pressuring federal agencies to terminate their contracts with Harvard.

The General Services Administration (GSA) asserted that Harvard engaged in racial discrimination in admissions and other aspects of campus life. In a letter sent Tuesday, the GSA requested assistance for agencies in “reviewing for termination or transition of federal government contracts” with Harvard.

Josh Gruenbaum, Commissioner of the GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, wrote in the letter to federal procurement officials, obtained by POLITICO, “We recommend that your agency terminate, as appropriate, any contracts it has identified as not meeting its standards and transition contracts that could be better served by an alternative counterparty to a new vendor.”

The GSA has asked agencies to report their plans regarding contracts with Harvard by June 6.

University of California next in ‘antisemitism’ investigation sights

As the White House intensifies its scrutiny of higher education, the Trump administration has pledged to expand its investigations on university campuses beyond Ivy League institutions to other schools, including the University of California (UC) system.

Leo Terrell, identified as head of the Justice Department’s “combating antisemitism” task force, stated that the UC system should expect “large-scale lawsuits,” adding that universities on the “East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest” could also face legal action.

Rachel Zaentz, senior director of strategic and critical communications for the UC president’s office, contended that the University of California “condemns antisemitism” and is working to eliminate it system-wide.

Zaentz added that the institution is cooperating with the Trump administration, stating, “The University is fully focused on strengthening our programs and policies to eliminate antisemitism and all forms of discrimination.”

In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Terrell remarked, “We are pursuing all our activities in the courtroom. Trump will not back down.”

Terrell also warned that they would target universities in ways that “will hurt them very financially.”

The advisor specifically cited federal hate crime charges and Title VII lawsuits, which focus on discrimination in hiring, as potential tools the administration might use.