2 days ago
Pause on student visas causes concern among some DC education programs
The Brief
The Trump administration has placed a temporary pause on new student visa interviews.
The move leaves hundreds of international students in limbo.
Education leaders and students warn of significant and far-reaching consequences.
WASHINGTON - A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit is among the many organizations facing uncertainty as the Trump administration places a temporary pause on new student visa interviews, leaving international students — some just days away from beginning summer internships in the capital — in limbo.
Last week, the U.S. State Department halted visa interviews for prospective international students, citing potential changes in social media vetting procedures.
While the administration frames the pause as a matter of national security, education leaders and students warn of significant and far-reaching consequences.
Local perspective
One of the affected organizations is The Fund for American Studies (TFAS), a non-profit that has operated since 1967. Each summer, TFAS brings together around 300 students for internship programs in areas ranging from Capitol Hill and Fortune 500 companies to journalism and public policy.
Many of the participants are international students, selected through a competitive process for their academic excellence and leadership potential. These students also complete coursework through George Mason University.
Now, dozens of those selected international students may not be able to attend.
"It's disappointing," said TFAS Chief Operating Officer Steve Slattery. "They're telling us that they don't know if they're going to be able to come here because they need this interview at the embassy. Usually that's the last hurdle, and often times there was a backlog for these interviews, so yes, there's anxiety."
The backstory
The Trump administration has ordered U.S. embassies worldwide to pause issuing new student visa interview appointments. The White House is reportedly considering expanding social media screening for applicants. However, no clear guidelines have been issued regarding the criteria for approval or the length of the delay.
"As far as I know, they're vetted pretty vigorously," Slattery added. "We vet them through our process. Embassies do their own interviews and scrutiny of applicants."
Mark Vodianyi, a TFAS alumnus and international student from Ukraine currently studying at Georgetown University, says while he is not personally impacted by the pause, he's concerned about its broader implications.
"Lots of the TFAS alum, they go home and advocate for democracy and civil liberties," Vodianyi said.
He also emphasized the long-term consequences of limiting access for international students.
"I'm thinking long term, the U.S. is losing a lot in this. International students contribute a lot to the U.S. economy — they support thousands of jobs nationwide."
What they're saying
While the administration insists the move is rooted in national security interests, some of its own officials have made controversial remarks.
Linda McMahon, U.S. secretary of education, stated that, "The president certainly had great concerns that there are foreign students — not everyone — but there are foreign students who come to the country I do believe will help create this unrest."
TFAS and other educational organizations argue that existing screening processes are already thorough and should not prevent forward progress.
"If they want to screen these students — which they already do — but if they want to do that more tightly, that's fine," said Slattery. "But we just want the process to move forward."
What's next
Though the pause has been described as temporary, the State Department has not announced a timeline for resuming visa interviews. Applicants are advised to monitor their local U.S. embassy or consulate websites for updates.
The impact of international students on American society is substantial. From founding major tech companies like Google, Yahoo, and YouTube, to contributing across the healthcare and research sectors, the role of these students extends well beyond academia. And that's why, for many, this story hits home.
