Mexico analyses the U.S.'s campaign against international students

By: Roberto Morejon

The U.S. government's temporary suspension of new applications for student or exchange visitor visas will affect Mexican nationals, among others.

This is a disconcerting development for the many Mexican students and others interested in studying in the United States. The U.S. government claims to be taking time to analyse upcoming petitions.

The regulation, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is based on what the Donald Trump administration deems essential: tracking social media profiles and seeking other information about individuals enrolling in U.S. universities.

Rubio wants to ensure that young critics of Israel's genocide in Gaza do not enter Washington, a tendency evident in key higher education institutions.

Educational institutions and groups defending migrants' rights were concerned about the steps taken by the White House, considering them to be a blow against diversity in education in the United States.

This is one aspect of Donald Trump's administration's restrictive approach to migrants, driven by an obsession with increasing security controls, which has now been extended to include social networks.

The Republican governor is analyzing reducing three thousand scholarships to Harvard University and giving them to business schools, for speculating that this institution is politically liberal.

In this context, the regulations issued by Marco Rubio on the processing of new student visas are now being added, which caused concern in Mexico.

President Claudia Sheinbaum opposed the U.S. dictate to stop new appointments for student visas and will analyze how many will be affected.

Since Trump's arrival to the oval office, pressure on the southern neighbor has increased with the arguments of fentanyl, migration and tariffs, in order to make people believe that the country is succumbing to the excesses of drug cartels.

The Republican magnate impudently offered to send military support against the narcos, an option rejected by Sheinbaum.

 Although Mexico is a sovereign, independent country and does not subordinate itself, as the President reiterates, the degree of relationship with the Northern neighbor implies destabilizing effects, such as the possible halt of visas to students or at least their delay.