Marco Rubio announces visa restrictions on foreign officials, persons ‘who are complicit in censoring Americans’

The new policy would allow for sanctions coming in the form of visa denials for targets on free speech, including foreign officials who threaten to arrest social media firm representatives, or the freezing of their assets. Visas can also be denied for foreign officials who demand that American companies follow foreign censorship demands in the form of "content moderation policies."

"For too long, Americans have been fined, harassed, and even charged by foreign authorities for exercising their free speech rights," Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced. "Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign officials and persons who are complicit in censoring Americans. Free speech is essential to the American way of life – a birthright over which foreign governments have no authority."

He added, "Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country. Whether in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere, the days of passive treatment for those who work to undermine the rights of Americans are over."

Rubio has also ordered that the State Department pause interviews with foreign citizens applying for student and exchange visas. The order from Rubio went out to US embassies and consulates on Tuesday.

A State Department official confirmed to The New York Times that Rubio had given the order to pause new interview appointments until further notice is given. The order stated, "Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity," per the Associated Press. The Times reported that it is likely that existing interview appointments will be kept.

The department said in a statement, "We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting," and noted that visa applicants have been asked to provide social media account information on forms for visas since 2019. The department did not specify what would flag an applicant for rejection under a new social media policy.

The State Department said in its statement that the pause was part of the "dynamic" scheduling of interviews for such visas, timelines for which are based on what officers need for vetting, are in compliance with US law, and "to ensure applicants do not pose a security or safety risk to the United States."

In late April, the State Department revealed that around 4,000 foreign students who had been convicted or charged with serious crimes such as assault, robbery, and arson saw their visas cancelled in the Trump administration’s first 100 days.

Some of those whose visas have been canceled or who have been targeted for deportation have been a part of violent campus protests and occupations in which Jewish students were threatened, university property was damaged, and terrorist rhetoric was celebrated. Others have shown sympathies for terrorist groups.

This comes as the Trump administration has attempted to block Harvard from enrolling international students, a move that was temporarily blocked by a judge. Around 6,800 foreign students were enrolled at Harvard this year, which represents around 27 percent of the student body. The Massachusetts school, along with others, use tuition from foreign students as a funding source, as those students pay full price.