Trump admin. plans social media checks for foreign students: Politico
3 Min Read
The administration's intensified scrutiny of international students has coincided with a coordinated assault on campus dissent.
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Momodou Taal, right, is pictured at a pro-Palestinian encampment at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Thursday, April 25, 2024. Taal, a former British-Gambian Ph.D. student at Cornell University who had faced possible deportation after participating in pro-Palestinian protests (AP Photo/Heather Ainsworth)
The Trump administration is advancing a new visa policy that would require all foreign student applicants to undergo invasive social media screening, Politico reported Tuesday, citing an internal State Department cable. The move comes amid a wider crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism across US campuses, targeting international students for their political beliefs and participation in protests against "Israel's" war on Gaza.
Under instructions from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US embassies and consulates have already been ordered to suspend new visa interview scheduling in anticipation of the policy shift. Rubio confirmed in congressional testimony that "he revoked thousands of foreign students' visas during the widespread protests in the United States," openly admitting that political expression, particularly support for Palestine, is being criminalized.
The administration's intensified scrutiny of international students has coincided with a coordinated assault on campus pro-Palestine protests. In one of the most aggressive actions yet, the Department of Homeland Security stripped Harvard University of its ability to host foreign students for the 2025–2026 academic year, citing alleged violations tied to campus activism.
Roughly 7,000 students were affected by the directive, which also mandated that currently enrolled international students transfer elsewhere. The ban was temporarily blocked by a US district court in Massachusetts following legal appeals.
These measures represent a broader campaign to silence pro-Palestinian voices under the guise of national security. With more than 400,000 F-1 student visas issued in 2024, the proposed social media vetting system, designed to monitor political speech, could have sweeping implications for students worldwide, particularly those who speak out against Israeli aggression or US complicity.
Critics warn that the administration is weaponizing immigration policy to suppress solidarity with Palestine and punish those who challenge US foreign policy. Academic institutions, immigrant rights groups, and civil liberties organizations have condemned the initiative as a grave threat to freedom of expression and a betrayal of the US's global standing in education.
Read more: After Trump's Harvard ban, China invites students with offers
Trump threatens Harvard's $3bln funding
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he is considering revoking $3 billion in federal grants from Harvard University, accusing the institution of antisemitism and suggesting that the funds would be better spent on trade schools across the country.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard, and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land," adding, "What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!"
NEW , President Trump says he is considering sending $3 BILLION to trade schools instead of Harvard pic.twitter.com/rtqvCsApPf
, Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) May 26, 2025
