The U.S. State Department is set to intensify social media screening for international student and exchange visitor visa applicants as part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. This includes temporarily halting new visa interviews while evaluating expanded vetting procedures to identify potential national security threats. The policy also targets applicants with pro-Palestine ties, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicating the administration is reviewing the visa status of students involved in pro-Palestine protests, which the administration has accused of supporting Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The State Department has directed consular sections to pause adding new visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued, while appointments already scheduled can proceed under current guidelines. The administration has also faced criticism for allegedly violating due process by revoking visas without proper procedures, with Democrats condemning the policy as an attack on freedom.