The head of the Bureau of Consular Affairs said his office regularly weighed criticism of Israel when determining whether to deny or revoke student visas.
Category: State Department
State Dept. Layoffs Hit Russia and Ukraine Analysts
A former senior U.S. official said it was “shortsighted” to consolidate the department’s well-respected intelligence arm.
U.S. Botched a Deal to Swap Venezuelans in El Salvador for American Prisoners
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. envoy to Venezuela were both working on different deals and ended up at cross purposes.
State Dept. Is Investigating Messages Impersonating Rubio, Official Says
A person or people imitating the secretary of state used artificial intelligence to send text and voice messages to foreign diplomats and U.S. officials, the department said in a cable to employees.
U.S. to Review Social Media Posts of Student and Scholar Visa Applicants
The State Department is restarting the processing of visa applications from students and visiting scholars, but is screening for “hostility” toward the United States.
Trump Administration Says It Is Working to Help Americans Leave Israel Amid Iran Conflict
As fighting between Iran and Israel continued for a sixth day, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem made its first announcement for Americans trying to leave Israel.
U.S. Revokes Visa of Former Panamanian President Who Criticized Trump Deal
Two politicians who spoke out against recent accords between the United States and Panama lost their permission to travel to the United States.
36 More Countries May Be Added to Trump’s Travel Ban
The administration gave the nations 60 days to fix concerns, according to a State Department cable. The president already imposed a full or partial ban on citizens of 19 countries.
U.S. Urges Americans to Steer Clear of Nicaragua
Despite a flurry of positive reports in the travel press, U.S. officials say Americans should avoid Nicaragua because it’s an authoritarian regime.
Rubio Is Pressing to Open Sanctions Investigation Into Harvard
Experts and former officials said it was unusual for a cabinet secretary to try to influence the Treasury Department’s sanctions process to target a domestic entity.
Xi to Trump: Rein in the Hawks Trying to Derail the Tariff Truce
China sought to depict a call between Xi Jinping and President Trump as an appeal from one strongman leader to another to run a tight ship and stay on course.
State Dept. Imposes Sanctions on International Criminal Court Judges
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the four judges were responsible for investigations of U.S. military personnel and arrest warrants against top Israeli officials.
Trump Administration Targets Brazilian Judge for “Censorship”
A new State Department policy to restrict visas from foreign officials who censor voices online appears written for a specific Brazilian Supreme Court justice.
‘They Make People Too Scared’: Chinese Students Reckon With U.S. Visa Bans
Helplessness and frustration are setting in as student applicants in China wait to see how sweeping the new U.S. action might be.
U.S. Will ‘Aggressively’ Revoke Visas of Many Chinese Students, Rubio Says
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the students who will have their visas canceled include people with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying in “critical fields.”
U.S. Bill Named for Artemis Ghasemzadeh Aims to Shield Asylum Seekers
A lawmaker is introducing a bill named for Artemis Ghasemzadeh, an Iranian Christian convert, that seeks to stop the expedited removal of people fleeing countries that persecute religious minorities.
Democrats Move to Block Over $3 Billion in Weapons Sales to Qatar and U.A.E.
The lawmakers introduced resolutions as anger erupted over a series of deals involving the president, businesses linked to his family and several countries.
For Some International Students, U.S. Dreams Dim Under Trump
Once drawn to American universities as havens, some students from abroad are finding the United States is not the bedrock of free speech they had expected.
U.S. to Downgrade Palestinian Affairs Office in Jerusalem, Officials Say
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, plans to shut down a direct communications channel between U.S. diplomats in Jerusalem working on Palestinian issues and agencies in Washington.
