Political pressure and visa suspensions: A new era for U.S. higher education

Documents obtained by the media reveal that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed all U.S. embassies and consulates to refrain from scheduling new interviews for international students.

Rubio stated that the U.S. government is preparing to expand screening and vetting processes, including social media reviews.

It remains unclear what this additional screening will entail, but according to Politico, the document suggests it may target what is described as antisemitism.

The report indicates that current social media screening protocols target students participating in protests supporting Palestine.

According to the Institute of International Education, over 1.1 million international students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities during the 2023-2024 academic year.

The National Association of International Student Advisors in the U.S. reports that international students significantly contribute to the U.S. economy, adding $43.8 billion annually and supporting approximately 380,000 jobs.

When asked whether international students should be concerned about timely visa processing for the upcoming academic year, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said: “We take the process of vetting who enters the country very seriously.” She added: “We have always screened individuals attempting to enter; this seems to be a controversial issue, but it shouldn’t be.”

The New York Times also reported that President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to terminate approximately $100 million in government contracts with Harvard University.

Trump has clashed with the university over its refusal to comply with a list of government demands aimed at eradicating what the administration calls liberal bias at the institution.

Last week, escalating its conflict with Harvard, the U.S. government revoked the university’s student and visitor exchange program license. This action prohibits Harvard from enrolling new international students and forces current international students to transfer to other universities.

This move followed Harvard’s refusal to comply with government requests for information regarding what was described as misconduct by international students on campus.

Approximately 7,000 international students were enrolled at Harvard during the 2024-2025 academic year, accounting for about 27% of the university’s student population.

Last month, the U.S. government also withheld $2.2 billion in federal funding from Harvard due to the university’s refusal to comply with the list of demands.