Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, directed overseas embassies on Tuesday to avoid scheduling new visa interviews for prospective foreign students, according to a cable that Politico viewed and reported upon. He reportedly issued that directive as the Trump administration is said to be considering auditing social-media posts as part of its process of approving student visas.
At the U.S. State Department press briefing on Tuesday, Tammy Bruce, the department spokeswoman, was asked about the audit and the pause on appointments.
“Well, if you’re discussing that, that’s something that has not been discussed publicly. It would have to be leaked material if it exists,” Bruce said.
“What I can remind everyone of, which we’ve discussed for months here, is that we use every tool in our 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 our nation,” she said. “Every sovereign country has a right to know who is trying to come in, why they want to come in, who they are, what they’ve been doing, and, at least hopefully within that framework, determine what they will be doing while they’re here.”
JNS sought comment from the State Department, which declined to comment “on internal communications.”
“The Trump administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the department told JNS. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. Every prospective traveler to the United States undergoes interagency security vetting. Prohibiting entry to the United States by those who might pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety is key to protecting U.S. citizens at home.”
Foggy Bottom told JNS that its “scheduling of nonimmigrant visa interview appointments is dynamic.”
“An embassy or consulate’s capacity reflects the time required for consular officers to adjudicate the cases before them in full compliance with U.S. law, including to ensure applicants do not pose a security or safety risk to the United States,” it said.
It added that the department has required visa applicants since 2019 to “provide social media identifiers on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms.”
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting. All visa applicants, no matter the visa type and where they are located, are continuously vetted,” it told JNS. “Security vetting runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterwards during the validity period of every issued visa, to ensure the individual remains eligible to travel to the United States.”