Rubio freezes student visas, orders social media vetting

Secretary of State MRMarco Rubio sent a diplomatic cable on May 27, 2025, ordering all embassies to stop scheduling new student visa interviews. The freeze applied to F-1 (academic), M-1 (vocational), and J-1 (exchange) categories.

The pause prepared for expanded social media vetting. Consular officers must now screen applicants' posts, likes, and comments for antisemitism, terrorism support, or hostility toward U.S. institutions.

On May 30, 2025, Rubio issued a second cable requiring heightened screening for anyone seeking to travel to Harvard University for any purpose, including students, faculty, contractors, and tourists.

DHS revoked Harvard's ability to sponsor foreign students on May 22, 2025. The university filed a lawsuit on May 23. Over 7,000 international students are currently enrolled at Harvard.

ICE terminated the status of 4,736 students since January 20, 2025. That's four times the 2024 rate. Some revocations involved minor infractions like traffic violations or protest participation.

The State Department lifted the interview pause on June 18, 2025, but new vetting requirements remain. Applicants must make social media accounts public during the visa process.

F-1 visa issuance dropped 22% in May 2025 compared to 2024. From January to April 2025, issuance was already down 12%. Canada reported a 27% increase in U.S. graduate applications.