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U.S. Resumes Visas For Foreign Students, But Requires Review Of Social Media

  • Writer: By The Financial District
    By The Financial District
  • 2 days ago
  • 1 min read

The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas, but all applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review, the Associated Press (AP) reported.


In the spring, the Trump administration revoked study visas for thousands of students before abruptly reversing the decision.



The department said consular officers will scrutinize posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the U.S., its government, culture, institutions, or founding principles.


Foreign students currently make up more than 15% of the total student body at nearly 200 U.S. universities, according to an AP analysis of federal education data from 2023.



International students in the U.S. have faced increasing scrutiny in recent months.


In the spring, the Trump administration revoked study visas for thousands of students, including some involved only in minor traffic offenses, before abruptly reversing the decision.



Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said the new policy echoes the ideological vetting of the Cold War era, when prominent artists and intellectuals were barred from entering the U.S.


“This policy makes a censor of every consular officer, and it will inevitably chill legitimate political speech both inside and outside the U.S.,” Jaffer said.








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