US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday ordered a suspension of student visa processing as President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up vetting of their social media, according to an internal cable.
The latest move, which will affect international students including Nigerians, a major source of revenue for US universities, after Rubio rescinded hundreds of visas and the Trump administration moved to bar Harvard University from admitting any non-Americans.
The move will affect the migration phenomenon known as Japa which has been popularised by Nigerian youths leaving the country in their droves for economic prosperity and job security in faraway Europe, the Americas, Asia and other parts of the world. The US, UK and Canada are top destinations of Nigerian youths leaving the country.
A cable signed by Rubio and seen by AFP orders embassies and consulates not to allow “any additional student or exchange visa… appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.”
It said the State Department “plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applications.”
The cable suggested that the suspension could be brief, telling embassies to receive new guidance in the “coming days,” although US missions already frequently see major backlogs in processing applications.