TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Tuesday (May 27) that the United States will suspend the allocation of new visa interview appointments for international students seeking to study in America. The sweeping policy extends beyond previously targeted elite institutions such as Harvard University to affect all U.S. higher education establishments, raising concerns among Taiwan's academic community where 52 citizens currently attend Harvard.
The controversial directive introduces mandatory social media screening procedures for all student visa applicants, a development that has ignited intense debate across digital platforms worldwide. An unnamed State Department representative reaffirmed the administration's determination to employ comprehensive evaluation methods for all visa categories, asserting that such scrutiny would apply equally to academic applicants and other visa seekers.
Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) — the government agency overseeing the island's educational policies — has committed to assisting Taiwanese students enrolled at Harvard who may face disruptions following the American restrictions. Officials are developing contingency measures in collaboration with Taiwan's higher education institutions, including streamlined credit transfer processes, to ensure affected students can maintain academic continuity without significant setbacks to their educational trajectories.
Prominent immigration attorney David Leopold cautioned that the visa restrictions could inflict severe damage on America's economic competitiveness and cultural diversity. The policy shift follows campus controversies surrounding antisemitism at various American universities, with President Donald Trump publicly criticizing institutional responses to hate speech incidents. The administration's emphasis on social media content as a determining factor in visa decisions has prompted legal challenges, with Harvard University filing suit against the federal government. A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against Trump's executive order specifically targeting the institution. ◼