Latest news with #Protectingthe
NBC News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Trump administrations stops new student visa interviews
The Trump administration on Tuesday stopped scheduling new interviews for international students seeking visas to study in the United States as the State Department prepares for expanded social media screening of applicants, according to an internal cable seen by NBC News. The directive was widely circulated to all U.S. diplomatic and consular posts abroad and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Politico first reported the cable. The move is the Trump administration's latest strike on higher education in general and international students in particular as it cuts financial support to Harvard and arrests visa-holding students from abroad. The State Department said it would issue further guidance to consulates and embassies in the coming days. 'Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity," the cable said. The memo also warned of 'potentially significant implications for consular section operations, processes, and resource allocations' in a clear indication of the delay likely for student visa applications. 'Consular sections will need to take into consideration the workload and resource requirements of each case prior to scheduling them going forward,' the cable said, adding the priority should be on 'services for U.S. citizens, immigrant visas, and fraud prevention.' It was unclear how the prospective students' social media would be screened as part of the expanded vetting procedures. The public views and speech of international students have come under increased scrutiny during the Trump administration. The visas of thousands of students at college campuses nationwide have been revoked in recent weeks by the Trump administration, which says it must protect U.S. citizens from immigrants who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten national security or espouse hateful ideology. The future of foreign students at Harvard remains uncertain after the Trump administration banned their enrollment starting in the next school year. The Association of International Educators could not be reached for comment. Many universities nationwide have warned international students about traveling abroad this summer, fearing many will not be allowed to return. The crackdown could also financially affect other universities with significant numbers of foreign students. The State Department had already instructed U.S. diplomats and consular officers to refer certain student and exchange visitor visa applicants to its fraud prevention unit for mandatory social media checks under two executive orders known as Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats and Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. launches mobile app with 'Intent to Depart' feature for undocumented migrants
March 10 (UPI) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched a new mobile app to give undocumented migrants, whose parole has been revoked, an easier way to voluntarily leave the United States. The new tool notifies the U.S. government of intent to leave the country in compliance with President Donald Trump's Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. "Today, we're introducing the CBP Home app offering a new critical feature, Intent to Depart," CBP announced Monday in a post on X. "The app provides illegal aliens in the United States with a straightforward way to declare their intent to voluntarily depart, offering them the chance to leave before facing harsher consequences," said Pete Flores, Acting Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "This reinforces our commitment to enforcing U.S. laws and safeguarding national security." The CBP Home Mobile Application reduces administrative processes and enhances security, according to the agency, while providing travelers, businesses and stakeholders with easy access to Customs and Border Protection through their mobile device. "CBP Home App strengthens our mission to secure the U.S. border by ensuring lawful entry for travelers and supporting effective enforcement," Flores added. The free mobile app is available for download on Apple or Android devices through Apple's App Store, Google Play or the CBP website. In addition to notifying the U.S. government of intent to leave, users can apply for a Form I-94, which is required for all visitors with the exception of U.S. citizens, most Canadian citizens, resident migrants and migrants with immigrant visas. Bus drivers can submit their manifests via the app. Users can also request inspection appointments for perishable cargo entering the United States and check wait times at the border. The White House confirmed last October that hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans in the United States would not have their two-year legal parole extended under the CHNV program. Those with expiring parole status were told to seek legal status through other federal immigration programs, be deported or leave voluntarily. Last month, Trump -- who returned to office on Jan. 20 after centering his presidential campaign around immigration -- revoked deportation protections for 300,000 Venezuelans, living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status including those who had applied for asylum. In January, the Trump administration rescinded former President Joe Biden's 18-month extension of TPS for 600,000 Venezuelans. Trump's order gave them 60 days to voluntarily leave the United States or face deportation. "Biden and former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas attempted to tie the hands of the Trump administration by extending Haiti's Temporary Protected Status by 18 months -- far longer than justified or necessary," DHS officials said in a statement last month. "We are returning integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades. President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem are returning TPS to its original status: temporary." Pro-immigrant organizations have filed two federal lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Noem for "illegally revoking" TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants. Last week, Trump announced "the invasion of our country is over," as the number of illegal crossings at the nation's southern border dropped to 8,326, the lowest in history, according to the White House.
