Washington
\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed US diplomats abroad to conduct social media searches on individuals applying for student and other visas, a move aimed at identifying applicants who may have criticised the US or Israel.
\nThe directive, issued in a diplomatic cable on March 25, aligns with the Trump administration\u2019s broader crackdown on protests against Israel\u2019s war in Gaza.
\nAccording to The New York Times, the instructions require consular officers to refer certain student and exchange visitor visa applications to the \u201cfraud prevention unit\u201d for mandatory social media checks. These measures follow executive orders signed by President Donald Trump targeting individuals with \u201chostile attitudes\u201d toward American institutions and policies. Rubio\u2019s cable specifies that visa applicants suspected of terrorist sympathies or who have held student or exchange visas between October 7, 2023, and August 31, 2024, will be subject to enhanced scrutiny.
\nIt further suggests that those whose visas were terminated since October 7, 2023, should have their social media history reviewed before reapplying.
\nThe instructions could lead to widespread self-censorship among foreign applicants who fear that past or present online activity might jeopardize their chances of obtaining a US visa.
\nDuring a CBS News interview on March 16, Rubio justified the policy by stating, \u201cWe don\u2019t want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes and undermining our national security or public safety. It\u2019s that simple, especially people that are here as guests. That is what a visa is.\u201d
\nSince assuming his role as Secretary of State in January, Rubio has revoked over 300 visas, many of them belonging to students.
\nHe has emphasised that visas should be denied if an applicant\u2019s social media history would have initially disqualified them.
\n\u201cEvery one of them I find, we\u2019re going to kick them out,\u201d Rubio asserted, describing some student protesters as instigators of campus disruptions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Washington Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed US diplomats abroad to conduct social media searches on individuals applying for student and other visas, a move aimed at identifying applicants who may have criticised the US or Israel. The directive, issued in a diplomatic cable on March 25, aligns with the Trump administration\u2019s broader crackdown […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":470248,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-470235","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n