WASHINGTON (7News) — State Secretary Marco Rubio ordered a halt to new student visa interviews at U.S. embassies and consulates as federal officials consider increased screening measures, especially on social media accounts, according to multiple reports.

The temporary pause, reported by ABC News, was announced early Tuesday morning in a diplomatic cable.

The Trump administration had already begun reviewing social media accounts of many of those entering the U.S., in most cases for those students previously critical of the conflict in the Gaza Strip or likely participated in war protests. But the new order, according to POLITICO, would require all international students to undergo the review to receive an F, M, or J visa.

It signals the latest efforts by the Trump administration to crack down on student opposition to the U.S.'s handling of international conflicts, namely those allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian protests that were deemed "antisemitic."

Currently scheduled appointments can still take place, but the delay could drastically slow down the process for the thousands of applicants. Thousands of students in D.C.-area colleges and universities are from outside the U.S.

George Washington University had roughly 3,600 international students out of its roughly 27,000-member student body in 2024. At least 3,300 international students of the 40,000 at the University of Maryland arrived from 7 out of 192 countries represented, according to its Fall 2024 enrollment numbers.

Recently, however, international leaders, like those in Hong Kong, have reportedly encouraged students to consider studying in regions outside of the U.S.

Reporting done by The Guardian stated that some U.S. students have also applied to graduate programs in Canada.

In April, the administration revoked the student visas of thousands attending colleges and universities. School officials, including those in the said they were unaware of these actions beforehand and many of those students sought legal action in the matter.

Rubio told a Senate Committee in May that he believes more student visas are likely to be revoked, according to TIME Magazine.