Social media posts, activism history under scanner as Trump admin resumes student visa with tougher rules – What we know

The Donald Trump administration has resumed student visa appointments, while imposing stricter vetting measures to identify potentially hostile applicants.

The resumption comes after the Trump administration previously asked to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants, saying that the State Department is set to explore measures for social media vetting of foreign students.

These measures include a thorough scrutiny of social media accounts and the online presence of applicants, according to a report by Reuters citing an internal State Department cable sent to US missions on June 18.

Here’s all we know about the latest directive —

The consular offices in the US will perform a “comprehensive and thorough vetting” process for all applicants seeking student and exchange visitor visas to identify individuals who “bear hostile attitudes toward our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding” principles,” the report said.

The latest cable issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asked officers to officers to check for “applicants who demonstrate a history of political activism, especially when it is associated with violence or with the views and activities described above, you must consider the likelihood they would continue such activity in the United States.”

The cable further added, “remind the applicant that limited access to….online presence could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity.”

The process includes a review of the entire online presence of the applicant, which will not be limited to social media activity, the cable said, urging the officers to use any “appropriate search engines or other online resources.”

The officers will also search for any potentially derogatory information regarding the applicant. Priority will be given to visa appointments of foreign-born physicians participating in a medical programme through exchange visas and students applying to study in Universities where international students constitute less than 15% of the total.

Trump’s crackdown on Harvard University

The Trump administration’s latest directive comes amid the crackdown on Harvard University over its alleged support for a pro-Palestinian campus, as well as other issues, including climate initiatives, transgender policies, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

What is the potential consequence?

The new directive on resumption of  student and exchange visa applicants is likely to result in fewer appointments due to the need for more thorough vetting.