Thu Jun 19 02:00:08 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a news article written from it:
**Summary:**
The U.S. State Department is restarting the student visa application process but with a new requirement: applicants must unlock their social media accounts for review. Consular officers will look for posts deemed hostile to the U.S. Failure to comply could lead to visa rejection. This policy follows a temporary suspension of visa interviews and broader efforts by the Trump administration to increase scrutiny of international students, including restricting their legal status, targeting Harvard University, and pressuring countries to improve traveler vetting. Critics argue the new policy resembles Cold War-era ideological vetting and will chill legitimate political speech.
**News Article:**
**US to Require Social Media Access for Student Visas, Raising Concerns Over Free Speech**
**WASHINGTON – June 19, 2025** – The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday it is resuming the processing of student visa applications but with a controversial new condition: applicants must provide access to their social media accounts for review. The policy, effective immediately, requires applicants to set their privacy settings to “public” so consular officers can scrutinize their online activity.
The Department stated that officers will be searching for posts and messages that suggest hostility towards the United States, its government, culture, institutions, or founding principles. Applicants who refuse to unlock their social media accounts risk visa rejection, with the Department citing such refusal as a potential sign of evasion.
The decision follows a temporary suspension of visa interviews last month as the Trump administration prepared to expand screening of international students’ social media activity. Students from countries like China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines have been anxiously awaiting the resumption of visa appointments.
“Under new guidance, consular officers will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting of all student and exchange visitor applicants,” the State Department said in a statement. “The enhanced social media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country.”
The new policy has drawn sharp criticism from civil liberties advocates. Jameel Jaffer, executive director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, condemned the move, stating, “This policy makes a censor of every consular officer, and it will inevitably chill legitimate political speech both inside and outside the United States.” He likened the policy to the ideological vetting practices of the Cold War.
The move comes amid increased scrutiny of international students by the Trump administration. Recent actions include efforts to restrict their legal status, pressure Harvard University to limit international student enrollment, and demand improved traveler vetting from 36 countries under threat of a travel ban.
First Piper 