(Daily Wire)—The State Department will resume granting student visas, but with heightened social media protocols to monitor possible support for terrorism or “a history of political activism” associated with violence or anti-American views.
The department announced Wednesday that it would soon start scheduling student visa application interviews after all new applications were frozen last month. Potential exchange students will be asked to make their social media profiles public to allow for vetting.
“We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security,” the department said. “Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants.”
The Trump administration has expressed concern about foreign students who have engaged in disruptive anti-Israel protests at campuses across the country, as well as Chinese students connected to the Chinese Communist Party.
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision,” the State Department said. “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission.”
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