The development, first reported by Politico, indicates that the Trump administration has ordered US embassies and consular offices to pause scheduling new interviews for student visa applicants. The move is perceived as part of a wider crackdown on US universities and foreign students, following accusations by the administration of anti-Semitism in academic institutions amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.  

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the administration’s approach to visa vetting, stating that ensuring proper scrutiny of incoming individuals remains a priority.  

“We use every tool in our tool chest to vet anyone coming into this country,” Bruce said. “Every sovereign nation has the right to know who is trying to enter, why they want to come, who they are, what they have been doing, and within that framework, determine what they will do while they are here.”  

She emphasised that rigorous background checks apply to all entrants, including students and other visa applicants, and reaffirmed that such measures are not new.  

--SABC/ChannelAfrica--