Donald Trump: US Restarts Student Visa Interviews With Tougher Social Media Rules
- The United States (US) State Department said it is restarting the suspended process for foreigners applying for student visas
- All applicants will now be required to unlock their social media accounts for government review
- The department said consular officers will be on the lookout for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the United States, its government, culture, institutions or founding principles
Washington, USA - The United States (US) State Department on Wednesday, June 18, said it will resume scheduling appointments for international student visas.
As reported by AP, the US State Department disclosed that it will ask all applicants to make their social media accounts public for enhanced screening.
Source: Getty Images
Trump administration tightens social media vetting
Reuters also noted the development.
Officials have been instructed to expand social media vetting of applicants and search for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States".
Legit.ng recalls that in late May, the Donald Trump administration halted the scheduling of student visa appointments as it prepared to step up measures to restrict applicants deemed hostile to the US.
The guidelines will impact all applicants who apply for F visas, which are primarily used by students.
Foreign students in US face uncertainty
Since coming into office in January 2025, the Trump administration has revoked the student visas of hundreds of foreign nationals, slashed funding for science and research programmes, arrested and tried to deport foreign nationals involved in pro-Palestine campus activism, and suspended student visa appointments.
For international students at universities like the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where nearly 15 per cent of all students are from outside the US, the rhetoric and policies have left students wondering about their futures in the country.
Some students — and even university administrators themselves — have noted that it is difficult to keep up with the raft of policy announcements, media reports, lawsuits, and counter-lawsuits that have unfolded as Trump leads Americans.
Source: Facebook
Sani reacts to latest US student visa news
Meanwhile, Shehu Sani, a Nigerian politician who previously represented Kaduna Central in the Senate, commented on the development.
Sharing his thoughts via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sani wrote:
"For the young ones who wants to study in the US, your social media post will now be scrutinised. Welcome to democracy in the 21st century; the governments of other countries may learn and emulate this policy."
Nigerian education needs urgent reform - Youth advocate
Meanwhile, the recent suspension of student visa interviews by the United States has sparked renewed calls for Nigeria to strengthen its education system and reduce overreliance on foreign study.
Kingdom Ogoegbunam, executive director of the Platform for Youth and Women Development, said the temporary US decision highlights a deeper issue: the lack of quality education within Nigeria that drives many students to seek opportunities abroad.
“Our students should not be forced to look overseas to find quality education,” Ogoegbunam told Legit.ng in an exclusive chat.
“We must invest in public universities, polytechnics, and colleges. We have to improve infrastructure, maintain stable academic calendars, raise teaching standards, and meet global benchmarks.”
He urged Nigerian youths to focus on acquiring marketable skills and participating in local programmes that offer opportunities to learn and earn simultaneously.
According to Ogoegbunam, rebuilding the value of Nigeria’s education system will help make foreign study a matter of choice, not necessity.
"Our youth should not only pursue degrees but also build capacity for local and global relevance. We must rebuild the value of Nigerian education so that studying abroad becomes a choice, not an escape," he added.
Read more on Donald Trump and the US:
- Trump: Immigration experts react as the US revokes visas of an African country
- Mass deportation: US cancels all visas of an entire African country, announces reason behind it
Protest erupts in the US
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that millions of people joined coordinated protests across all 50 US states and in cities worldwide recently as part of the “Hands Off!” movement, a mass mobilisation against what organisers called a “hostile takeover” by Trump and Elon Musk.
More than 1,400 demonstrations were held at key government sites — including state capitols, federal buildings, congressional offices, and city halls — with organisers demanding “an end to this billionaire power grab”.
Legit.ng's head of politics and current affairs desk, Nurudeen Lawal, contributed a youth development advocate, Kingdom Ogoegbunam's reaction to this report.
Source: Legit.ng
