We are going to be looking at you: US State Department on strict vetting for student visas

Washington, DC [US], May 28 : The US State Department on Tuesday (local time) emphasised the seriousness of the vetting process for visa allotment amid reports that the Donald Trump administration is considering the implementation of severe social media screening for student visas.

Addressing a press briefing, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the country will continue to vet whether a student or a tourist needs a visa.

"We do know, though, that we take very seriously the process of vetting who it is that comes into the country, and we're going to continue to do that. We're going to continue to vet. Whether you're a student or a tourist who needs a visa, or whoever you are, we're going to be looking at you. Why would it seem to be such a controversial thing that's going on? But it shouldn't be," Tammy Bruce said.

This development comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consular offices to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants as the Donald Trump administration is considering strict vetting of applicants' social media profiles, according to a diplomatic cable obtained by Politico.

Tammy Bruce further mentioned that the steps taken by the Trump administration might come off as "counterproductive" but she emphasised it is essential to make sure people coming to US understand its law.

"We're not going to lay out here with the media, the nature of the steps that are taken, the methods that we use that would seem to be a little bit counterproductive, perhaps, but it is a goal, as stated by President Trump and Secretary Rubio to make sure that people who are here and understand what the law is, that they don't have any criminal intent, that they are going to be contributors to the experience here, whether however short or long their stay is, and so the details of which I won't reveal. But it's one that will hopefully achieve our understanding of who deserves to visit this country and who does not," she said.

Earlier in the day, Politico reported that the order to pause the new visa interviews for student applicants was given to mark a broader application of existing vetting procedures to restrict foreign students' entry to American schools and colleges.

However, the cable does not detail what social media activity will be reviewed, it refers to executive orders focused on counterterrorism and antisemitism, Politico reported.

Previous guidance from administration included social media checks for returning students who had participated in protests related to Gaza. Many State Department officials have complained privately for months that past guidance, for, say, vetting students who may have participated in campus protests, has been vague.

The administration has previously criticised some universities, especially Harvard, over issues related to campus protests and antisemitism. It has also increased immigration enforcement efforts that have included student visa holders.

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