Certain U.S. embassies located in Europe have started issuing strong alerts to potential visitors through social media platforms, urging them to exercise caution during their visits. Embassies spanning at least 17 different nations have displayed posts that include images of key figures within the administration, such as President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. These messages warn that individuals seeking visas might face deportation if they partook in activities considered detrimental by the U.S. government.
One notable example is from the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia, which communicates a stern warning: “When you’re granted a U.S. visa, you’re a guest. If you’re in this country promoting Hamas, supporting terrorist organizations, participating in vandalism, or engaging in acts of rebellion and campus riots, you would not have been allowed entry had we known. You deceived us, and now you must leave.” Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Budapest features a statement from Marco Rubio saying, “We don’t welcome people into our country who would commit crimes and threaten our national security or public safety.”
This initiative arises amid the Trump administration’s intensified scrutiny over visa holders, such as international students and professors, who have been active in university protests concerning the conflict in Gaza. These protests often support Palestinians while opposing Israel’s military endeavors, leading to visa revocations, immigration detentions, and entry bans, as illustrated by the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia University.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, speaking at a press briefing, deemed these alerts as “reasonable” measures. “Adhere to the law, conduct yourself appropriately, and all will be well,” Bruce reassured. “A visa grants access, but it is not an inherent right nor an entitlement. Both visas and green cards are privileges that the United States grants based on one’s representation.” Bruce emphasized, “Every sovereign nation seeks to regulate the entry of individuals, ensuring an understanding of their identity and purpose.”
Although the examination of visa applicants is a standard procedure, the intense language employed in these social media messages reflects the administration’s decisive position concerning the conditions under which individuals are permitted entry into the U.S. Additionally, several posts underscore the administration’s strict stance on illegal immigration, as seen in a message from the U.S. Embassy in Denmark containing a quote from Kristi Noem: “If you’re considering traveling to the United States illegally, think again.”