Latest news with #HumeyraPamuk
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments
US eyes expanding social media vetting for student visas Already scheduled student visa appointments can proceed Trump administration has sought to revoke student visas By Humeyra Pamuk U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the cable that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants after a review is completed and advised consular sections to halt the scheduling of such visa appointments. The move comes as the Trump administration has sought to ramp up deportations and revoke student visas as part of its wide-ranging efforts to fulfill his hardline immigration agenda. In the cable, first reported by Politico, Rubio said appointments that have already been scheduled can proceed under the current guidelines, but available appointments not already taken should be pulled down. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'The Department is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants,' the cable said. The expanded social media vetting will require consular sections to modify their operations, processes and allocation of resources, according to the cable, which advises the sections going forward to take into consideration the workload and resource requirements of each case before scheduling them. The cable also advises consular sections to remain focused on services for U.S. citizens, immigrant visas and fraud prevention. Trump administration officials have said student visa and green card holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy and accusing them of being pro-Hamas. Trump's critics have called the effort an attack on free speech rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A Tufts University student from Turkey was held for over six weeks in an immigration detention center in Louisiana after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing her school's response to Israel's war in Gaza. She was released from custody after a federal judge granted her bail. Last week, the Trump administration moved to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students. Those roughly 6,800 students make up about 27% of Harvard's total enrollment. The Republican president's administration has moved to undermine the financial stability and global standing of the nation's oldest and wealthiest university after it pushed back on government demands for vast changes to its policies.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments
By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration has ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants as the State Department prepares to expand social media vetting of foreign students, according to an internal cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the cable that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants after a review is completed and advised consular sections to halt the scheduling of such visa appointments. The move comes as the Trump administration has sought to ramp up deportations and revoke student visas as part of its wide-ranging efforts to fulfill his hardline immigration agenda. In the cable, first reported by Politico, Rubio said appointments that have already been scheduled can proceed under the current guidelines, but available appointments not already taken should be pulled down. "The Department is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants," the cable said. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on reports of the cable, but said the U.S. will use "every tool" to vet anyone who wants to enter the United States. "We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that's coming here, whether they are students or otherwise," Bruce told reporters at a regular news briefing. The expanded social media vetting will require consular sections to modify their operations, processes and allocation of resources, according to the cable, which advises the sections going forward to take into consideration the workload and resource requirements of each case before scheduling them. The cable also advises consular sections to remain focused on services for U.S. citizens, immigrant visas and fraud prevention. Trump administration officials have said student visa and green card holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy and accusing them of being pro-Hamas. Trump's critics have called the effort an attack on free speech rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A Tufts University student from Turkey was held for over six weeks in an immigration detention center in Louisiana after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing her school's response to Israel's war in Gaza. She was released from custody after a federal judge granted her bail. Last week, the Trump administration moved to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students. Those roughly 6,800 students make up about 27% of Harvard's total enrollment. The Republican president's administration has moved to undermine the financial stability and global standing of the nation's oldest and wealthiest university after it pushed back on government demands for vast changes to its policies.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rubio speaks to Israel's Netanyahu, says US troubled by Gaza humanitarian situation
By Humeyra Pamuk ANTALYA, Turkey (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that Washington is troubled by the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Rubio, speaking to reporters in Antalya, Turkey, said the U.S. was "not immune or in any way insensitive to the suffering of people in Gaza," where no humanitarian assistance has been delivered since March 2. He repeated the Trump administration's stance that Hamas militants, who launched the October 2023 attacks that began the conflict, are to blame for the situation in Gaza. "We think that the elimination of Hamas is what achieves peace. We're troubled by the humanitarian situation," Rubio said. It was the first time Rubio has addressed the situation in Gaza since the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced it will start work in Gaza by the end of May under a heavily-criticized distribution plan. He said he had heard criticism of the plan and that the U.S. was open to an alternative plan. "It allows people to get aid without Hamas stealing it," Rubio said. "We'll continue to work towards that in ways that we think are constructive and productive."
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Factbox-Major changes in Trump's overhaul US State Department
By Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed a major overhaul of the U.S. State Department that would shutter more than 100 offices, part of President Donald Trump's push to shrink the federal government and align policymaking with his "America First" priorities. It is unclear how many jobs will be lost as part of the shake-up and officials said some details could change. But the proposed reorganization, laid out in an announcement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and based on a new organizational chart and internal documents seen by Reuters, points to new priorities for Washington's premier diplomatic agency. Speaking in a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the closure of bureaus did not necessarily mean Washington would not work on those areas but could not give any details on under which bureaus exactly those functions would be transferred. Here are the key changes in the proposal: NEW HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR The plan abolishes the role of Undersecretary of Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, incorporating much of its work into a "reimagined" Coordinator of Foreign and Humanitarian Affairs, according to an internal fact sheet. The previously standalone offices for religious freedom and human trafficking will be folded into other bureaus under that coordinator, the fact sheet said. WAR CRIMES, CONFLICT OFFICES ABOLISHED The offices of Global Criminal Justice, which monitors war crimes and atrocities, and will be "sunset," the fact sheet said. The office has in the past issued determinations when the U.S. assesses that genocide or crimes against humanity have been committed, and coordinates with other countries on potential war crimes prosecutions. The plan also does away with the bureau for Conflict and Stabilization Operations, which monitors the implementation of peace agreements and conducts analysis on conflicts worldwide. WOMEN'S ISSUES The Office of Global Women's Issues, which is headed by an ambassador-at-large who promotes the rights of women and girls, does not appear on the proposed new organization chart. INTERNATIONAL SECURITY The plan sets up a new bureau for "emerging threats" that would deal with cybersecurity, AI and space, according to a the fact sheet. Bureaus working on counternarcotics and law enforcement, and counterterrorism will also be moved under the Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security. REGIONAL BUREAUS The plan seeks to give more power to regional bureaus and embassies around the world. The department's six regional bureaus will each create an office of assistance to coordinate aid, the fact sheet said. "Moving forward, the regional bureaus will absorb a number of functional issues to increase the authority, responsibility, and accountability of regional bureau heads, allowing them to seamlessly align policy with non-security foreign assistance and to provide leadership within the Department," it said.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration orders Gaza-linked social media vetting for visa applicants
By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration on Thursday ordered a social media vetting for all U.S. visa applicants who have been to the Gaza Strip on or after January 1, 2007, an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters showed, in the latest push to tighten screening of foreign travelers. The order to conduct a social media vetting for all immigrant and non-immigrant visas should include non-governmental organization workers as well as individuals who have been in the Palestinian enclave for any length of time in an official or diplomatic capacity, the cable said. "If the review of social media results uncovers potential derogatory information relating to security issues, then a SAO must be submitted," the cable said, referring to a security advisory opinion, which is an interagency investigation to determine if a visa applicant poses a national security risk to the United States. The cable was sent to all U.S. diplomatic and consular posts. The move comes as President Donald Trump's administration has revoked hundreds of visas across the country, including the status of some lawful permanent residents under a 1952 law allowing the deportation of any immigrant whose presence in the country the secretary of state deems harmful to U.S. foreign policy. The cable dated April 17 was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said in late March that he may have revoked more than 300 visas already. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump officials have said student visa holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests. Trump's critics have called the effort an attack on free speech rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech for everyone in the U.S., regardless of immigration status. But there have been high-profile instances of the administration revoking visas of students who advocated against Israel's war in Gaza. Among the most widely publicized of such arrests was one captured on video last month of masked agents taking a Tufts University student from Turkey, Rumeysa Ozturk, into custody. When asked about Ozturk at a news conference last month, Rubio said: "Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas" and he warned there would be more individuals whose visas could be revoked.
