Indian Americans, educators slam US freeze on student visa appointments
Eminent Indian Americans and educational institutions on Tuesday decried the move of the Trump Administration to pause the visa appointments of all categories of international students, as it plans to come out with a mechanism to monitor and study the social media postings of the applicants.
The move comes in the wake of growing anti-Israel and pro-Palestine movements at the university campuses, which US officials believe are mainly fueled by international students. Students’ protests and unrest at the university campuses are a relatively new phenomenon.
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days,” said a State Department cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
SepTel means separate telegram.
The cable signed by Rubio says that the State Department “is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants.”
First reported by Politico, a senior State Department official confirmed the accuracy of the cable on the suspension of visa processing.
“The US State Department’s decision to pause new student visa appointments to expand social media vetting is alarming, especially for Indian students aiming for Fall 2025 admissions. While I support rigorous vetting for security, this pause risks creating significant backlogs, threatening the academic dreams of thousands of Indian students,” said Ajay Bhutoria, a former member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.
According to the Open Doors 2024 Report on International Educational Exchange, the total number of international students at US colleges and universities reached an all-time high of more than 1.1 million.
India sends the largest number of international students to the US and contributes significantly to the American economy and talent pool, a fact noted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump during their meeting here at the White House on February 13 this year.
“With over 300,000 Indian students contributing over USD 8 billion annually to the US economy in 2024, India is a cornerstone of our academic exchange. The 38% drop in F-1 visas issued to Indians from January to September 2024, coupled with visa slot shortages since mid-March 2025, already strains this partnership. Further delays could force students to defer admissions, face financial losses, and endure emotional hardship,” Bhutoria said.
“I urge the State Department to prioritize student visa processing by boosting consular resources, expediting Fall 2025 appointments, and clarifying the vetting process. Congress must demand transparency on the pause’s scope and impact. Let’s preserve the US as a global education hub by addressing these challenges swiftly,” he said.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that the US is using every tool in its tool chest to vet anyone coming in who wants to come into this country, and in order to do so has to apply for a visa to gain access to the US.
Association of International Educators (NAFSA), a group that advocates for foreign students, slammed the decision of the Trump administration. “International students are not a threat to this country. If anything, they’re an incredible asset to this country,” said its CEO, Fanta Aw.
(Courtesy: www.5wh.com)
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