The Trump administration stops student visa dates before “Expressing expanded social media”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered the US embassies to temporarily stop schedule the new student visa dates, as the Trump administration is working to expand social media offers for applicants, which are the latest in a series of restrictions on international students.

In Kabul dated Tuesday and obtained by CBS News, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio issued instructions to diplomatic positions not to add any other dates for student and external visas in preparation for the expanded scrutiny, and took any non -paved dates from their evaluation. If students have already identified visa interviews, these people can still go forward.

Temporary suspension will continue until more guidance is issued “in the next few days.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing to “expand the required social media examination”, and all applicants in students visa can undergo social media examinations, according to the cable. The cable said that this additional examination will have “great effects” on embassies and consulates, which leads to a stopping of the necessary new dates.

A senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs official confirmed the accuracy of the cable to CBS News.

The memo was reported for the first time Politico.

When asked about students’ visas, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tami Bruce told reporters on Tuesday, “We are taking seriously an examination of who comes to the country, and we will continue to do so.”

An official at the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that although the administration does not comment on internal communications, the schedule of the non -immigrant visa dates is “dynamic”. The official said that the capacity of the embassy or the consulate reflects the time for consular officials in separating the issues before them in full compliance with American law, including to ensure that applicants for security or safety risks to the United States are not formed.

“Every judicial decision in the visa is a decision of national security,” said the official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The ban on entry to the United States by those who may threaten American national security or public safety is the key to protecting American citizens at home.”

International students who want to study in the United States are Usually required For interviews at the American embassy or consulate, usually in their home country, as part of the visa application. Waiting times Variously varying: In most embassies, student visa interviews can be scheduled less than two months ago, although some diplomatic jobs have longer waiting.

Last month, the Ministry of Internal Security said The screen will Some visa applicants, including people looking for student visas, are what he called “anti -Semitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals.”

Offers are part of the broader control tools list that aims at international students – some of which faced a state of recovery from the court system.

Last week, DHS Harvard University said It can no longer register international students, as a battle escalated for months between the administration and the Ivy League school. The Minister of National Security, Christie sleep, said that the administration “Harvard is accountable for enhancing violence, anti -Semitism, and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party on its university campus,” but Harvard said that this step was illegal. judge Policy.

The government has sought to deport a handful of students based on their pro-Palestinians activity-some of whom have green cards, including Mohsen Mahdawi at Columbia University, referring to a law that allows the abolition of visas if someone raises “negative consequences for foreign policy.” Lawyers argue that these cancellation of the visa violates the rights of the first amendment to students, although the government says it has the right to do so. Some students, including Mahdawi, were released on bail.

Lawyers say the Trump administration Trick Legal status For thousands of other international students, many of whom seemed targeted Simple legal violations. Federal judge has I prevented this effort.

Camilla Chic and

Olivia Victoria Gazis

He contributed to this report.