U.S. tightens foreign visa policies

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new policy Wednesday restricting visas for foreign officials found complicit in censoring free speech. Americans have been fined and even charged by foreign officials for exercising their right to free speech for too long, he wrote. Foreigners who try to undermine American rights should not enjoy the privilege of coming to the United States, he added.

Will the new vetting process apply to international students? Rubio’s announcement came after reports emerged that the State Department temporarily paused international student visa interviews to better vet candidates. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce hinted at the changes during a Tuesday afternoon briefing. The administration planned to use every tool available to review all visa candidates, she said. Every sovereign country has that right, and the government will continue learning who is trying to enter the country and why, regardless of whether they are students, Bruce added.

Studying in America is a privilege, and anti-Semitism from foreign students will not be tolerated, according to a Tuesday statement from Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights. The same day, the U.S. Embassy in India reminded foreign students that their visas could be revoked for skipping classes or leaving their program without informing their school. Those who don’t honor the terms of their visa may be ineligible for another in the future, the embassy noted.

Dig deeper: Read my report on the Trump administration reinstating a large number of revoked student visas.