The United States will now require foreign students applying for visas to make their social media profiles public. This new rule, announced by the State Department on Wednesday, aims to screen applicants for any anti-American content.
At the end of May, the State Department temporarily stopped issuing student visas to develop these new social media guidelines. Visa appointments will now resume.
A senior State Department official said the enhanced social media checks will help ensure thorough screening of everyone seeking to visit the U.S. Consular officers will conduct a full review of all student and exchange visitor applications.
To make this possible, applicants must set their social media accounts to public. This will allow officials to review their online activity more easily.
The move follows a 2017 executive order by then-President Donald Trump, who called for stricter screening to prevent people with hostile attitudes toward the U.S. from entering the country.
Student visas have been a point of tension during the Trump administration. Thousands of visas have been canceled, and efforts were made to block Harvard University from accepting international students.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has canceled visas for students who protested against Israel’s actions in Gaza. He used a little-known law that removes people viewed as opposing U.S. foreign policy interests.
In April, the Department of Homeland Security stated that foreign student visa applicants’ social media would be checked for antisemitic behavior, which could lead to visa refusals.
The U.S. has been reviewing social media profiles of people applying for immigration or green cards for over ten years.
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