Purge your socials

Jamaican students planning to study in the United States are being advised to clean up their social media accounts as the State Department pauses new student visa appointments and ramps up digital vetting procedures.

The suspension stems from a directive issued in a cable to US embassies and consulates worldwide, in line with the Trump administration’s broader policy to tighten immigration and impose stricter ideological oversight on foreign students, particularly those heading to liberal-leaning institutions.

“You have to be very careful. Do whatever you can to make sure that your digital footprint is clean and remains clean,” founder of AIM Educational Services Nicole McLaren Campbell said of the development.

“ … If you already have an appointment, obviously, you want to make sure that your social media is clean. They say your digital footprint is forever because, even when you think you have deleted [something], it’s not even deleted,” she added.

The educational consultant said, with no definitive timeline on when the suspension will be lifted, all student applicants can do at the moment is to prepare and wait.

The vetting push comes amid what the administration claims is a rise in antisemitism on US campuses. It also arrives just weeks before international students are expected to begin the fall semester.

One Jamaican, who is preparing to begin her PhD programme in California and has not yet set an appointment for the F1 student visa, is optimistic that the suspension will be lifted.

“I remain confident that, in the end, things will work out because, the last time I was in touch with my school, they hadn’t had any incidents of students having their visas cancelled. I was pretty happy to hear about that,” the student, who asked not to be identified, told The Gleaner.

“I am somehow hoping that I won’t be affected. I’m trying to keep abreast of all the information because, every day, it’s something new in the US. I’m in the process of applying for my visa. So, I’m just waiting to see how things work out and just follow the directives from my school as time goes by. I’m not worried about the social media aspect of it. My social media is very clean. I watch what I post, so I’m not worried about that,” she said.

The Virginia-based Politico reported that, in preparation for the required vetting, the administration is ordering US embassies and consular sections to pause scheduling new interviews for student visa applicants, according to the cable which was reportedly sent on Tuesday and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

McLaren Campbell said this move should be a wake-up call for all prospective students, noting that some universities have also been vetting applicants via social media.

“Even some students who were admitted got admissions rescinded because of what they post after admission. Kids in school get kicked out for what they post. Employers vet social media. I’m assuming the US government has the ability to be quite forensic in their searches. Just do not post it. You don’t need to post it,” she warned.

Florida-based immigration attorney Oliver J. Langstadt traced the policy back to Executive Order 14161, signed by President Trump in January. The order, titled Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, mandates maximum vetting for all foreign nationals entering or already in the US.

According to Langstadt, a March 2025 cable had instructed consular officers to refer student visa applications for thorough review, including a detailed scan of their social media activity by fraud prevention units.

“That triggered the increased scrutiny for students and it said specifically the cable required consular officers to refer all F1 academic students, J1 exchange visitors and M1 vocational or non-academic student visa applications to a review of their social media activities,” he said, noting that the cable said the screenings by the fraud prevention unit were to be mandatory.

He said the expansion of the State Department’s efforts is less of a suspension and more of a slowing down of the overall student visa issuance process, even as appointments for student visas are typically prioritised at this time of year.

Trump has publicly criticised US universities for promoting liberal ideals and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. His administration has also threatened to withhold up to US$12 billion in federal research and education funding, unless universities comply with new ideological and governance requirements. These include demands to report student conduct and attitudes – especially those of foreign nationals.

As uncertainty grows around student visas, McLaren Campbell is urging Jamaican students to also consider regional and global alternatives.

“It’s a good idea now to also think about your options outside of the US. That’s never a bad idea. There are many regional opportunities and there are many global opportunities. I have a student who went to UWI (University of the West Indies) and she is now working for a company in the New York. UWI also has many study-abroad arrangements, and they have internationally certified programmes as well.

“So, I think it’s a good opportunity for us Caribbean people to think about building our own institutions,” she said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com