The United States (U.S.) government is stepping up its screening of visa applicants by checking social media posts for any content that criticizes the United States or Israel.
This move, ordered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aims to prevent certain students, including Kenyans, from entering the country.
According to a directive sent to US embassies and consulates on March 25, consular officers must conduct mandatory social media checks on certain student visa applicants.
Further, the directive specifically targets students who previously held visas between October 7, 2023, and August 31, 2024, and those whose visas have been revoked during this period.
Details of the directive were first reported by The Handbasket, a U.S.-based independent news site.
Also Read: UK Waives Visa Requirements for 48 Countries; How it Works
What the U.S. Govt Will Look For on Applicant’s Social Media
At the same time, Rubio’s directive instructed that starting immediately, consular officers must refer certain student and exchange visitor visa applicants to the “fraud prevention unit” for a “mandatory social media check”.
Consequently, visa applicants may be denied if their online activity suggests sympathy for terrorist groups or if their posts reflect anti-American sentiments.
Also, one of the main aims of the social media searches is to reject the applications of students who have expressed sympathy for Palestinians during the war.
Similarly, applicants can be denied a visa if their behavior or actions show that they have “a hostile attitude toward U.S. citizens or U.S. culture, including the government, institutions, or founding principles.”
The monitoring primarily applies to student and exchange visitor visa categories (F, M, and J visas).
Moreover, the fraud prevention unit of an embassy’s or consulate’s section for consular affairs, which issues the visas, helps screen applicants.
“We don’t want people in our country that are going to be committing crimes and undermining our national security or the public safety,”
“It’s that simple, especially for people who are here as guests. That is what a visa is,” Said Rubio on March 16.
Also Read: Kenyan Teachers Among 4,000 Stranded in US After Abrupt End of Scholarship
Donald Trump’s Crackdown on Foreign Students
The policy comes as part of measures introduced by President Donald Trump to deport foreign nationals who display “hostile attitudes” toward American values, institutions, or security.
A separate executive order issued by Trump also seeks to crack down on antisemitism.
The order includes deporting foreign students who participated in protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
