The U.S. State Department is stepping up its scrutiny of visa applicants who may have ties to terrorism. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that at least 300 foreign students have had their visas revoked during the Trump administration due to concerns about their activities. Rubio stated, “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa,” emphasizing the ongoing effort to identify and remove individuals deemed a threat.
In addition to student visas, the government has also targeted legal permanent residents. For instance, Mahmoud Khalil had his green card revoked under a little-used section of immigration law that allows the Secretary of State to take action if an applicant’s activities threaten national security.
To enhance security, Rubio has ordered consular posts worldwide to improve their screening processes for student visa applicants. This includes conducting thorough social media investigations to identify those who may support terrorism. A recent directive from the State Department outlines new criteria for visa denials based on an applicant’s public advocacy for terrorist activities or organizations.
The new measures specifically focus on student visas (F, M, and J categories), requiring consular officers to perform mandatory social media reviews. This vetting will also apply to foreign students already in the U.S. whose visas are up for renewal, particularly following the recent Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The responsibility for this increased scrutiny will fall on small fraud-prevention units at diplomatic posts, which will document any concerning social media content.
The directive warns that any evidence of support for terrorist activities or organizations could indicate ineligibility for a visa. This includes not only direct advocacy but also negative sentiments toward U.S. citizens and culture. Notably, even reposting objectionable content can harm an applicant’s chances.
The U.S. has been using social media for immigration vetting since 2014, but the process has expanded significantly in recent years. By 2019, social media information was required from nearly all visa applicants. This includes details about platforms like Facebook and Instagram, along with a history of activity over the past five years.
However, experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness of this approach. Since social media accounts can be altered or deleted, applicants may hide any controversial content before applying. Immigration attorneys recommend that applicants review their social media for any potentially problematic posts and consider enhancing privacy settings to limit access.
The logistical challenge of reviewing social media content for millions of visa applicants each year poses significant hurdles. In January 2025 alone, over 2,200 student visas were issued in India, highlighting the scale of the task.
While artificial intelligence tools are being developed to assist in these reviews, experts caution that they are not yet capable of making nuanced judgments like trained security personnel. Therefore, Rubio may still find himself personally involved in revoking visas, even with new directives in place.
As the State Department implements these changes, the balance between national security and the processing of millions of visa applications will be closely watched.