TL;DR: Hundreds of international students in the US are being asked to "self-deport" due to campus activism or even sharing certain social media posts. This crackdown follows a March 25 directive mandating social media reviews of students, affecting visas under the F, M, and J categories. Over 300 students have had their visas revoked under the "Catch and Revoke" policy. The new policy is being heavily criticized by immigration attorneys as an attempt to suppress free speech and activism.
😱 What's Happening:Imagine you’re chilling, attending classes, and living your student life in the US, then suddenly you get an email asking you to leave the country! 💔 That’s what’s happening with hundreds of international students as they are being targeted by the US Department of State (DOS) for campus activism or even for just sharing or liking "anti-national" posts online. 📲
This harsh crackdown includes students who have merely shared or liked certain social media posts, not just those who actively participated in protests. The emails are part of a broader initiative called "Catch and Revoke," which uses AI to monitor foreign nationals' social media activities. 📢
🔍 Why This Crackdown:An internal directive issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 25 mandates social media checks for all international students. 😠 The policy involves mandatory social media reviews by consulate officials and taking screenshots of any “derogatory” content as evidence. If the student is found guilty, their visas are revoked under Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
🚫 The program has already revoked the visas of over 300 foreign students within three weeks, and this number is expected to rise. And guess what? Students applying for new visas will also face intense social media scrutiny. 😣
📊 Who Is Affected:There are about 1.1 million international students in the US, out of which 3.31 lakh are Indians. The policy targets those holding F (academic study), M (vocational study), and J (exchange visitor) visas. It’s a massive problem for students who might not even realize their posts or likes are being monitored. 😨
🗣 What the Lawyers Are Saying:Lawyers are calling this a nightmare for international students. The move is being compared to the Trump administration’s failed attempt to backdate unlawful presence rules. Students are being told to either apply for visa reinstatement or leave the country and reapply from their home countries. 😓
One lawyer said, “If you’re found unlawfully present for more than 180 days, it can trigger a 3 to 10-year ban from entering the US. This is a brutal crackdown on freedom of speech and expression.” ✊
📌 MediaFx Opinion:This policy is a direct attack on freedom of speech and student activism. The US is trying to silence voices that dare to speak against injustice. It’s just another way for capitalistic powers to crush dissent and control immigrant voices. 🌍 We should stand with the students who are being unfairly targeted and fight for their right to express themselves without fear of deportation! 💪
💬 What do you think about this crackdown? Is it fair to judge students based on their social media activity? Comment below! 👇
