The University of Wyoming is warning employees who hail from other countries they might not be able to reenter the United States if they go home for the holidays.
Ahead of the winter break, UW Human Resources emailed all employees with information about the State Department’s expanded vetting procedures and warning about possible reentry delays.
“While travel is a personal choice, if you do not have a valid H-1B visa, it is recommended that you consider postponing international travel,” the email states. “If you do have a valid H-1B visa, please understand that circumstances can change quickly, and we cannot guarantee reentry if unexpected changes occur.”
H-1B visa holders will now be subject to social media vetting, which the feds call an “online presence review.”
“The State Department uses all available information in visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety,” the official announcement states. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision.”
Since taking office, Pres. Trump has ramped up immigration arrests and deportations, sought to restrict legal immigration and made changes to the way university student visas are handled.
These changes have led UW to prepare its staff for possible visits from ICE and left UW students fearful about the future of their ability to study in the U.S.
According to the State Department’s announcement detailing the social media vetting process, “The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission. A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right.”
The State Department and UW are telling foreign nationals to make their social media profiles public to assist with the vetting process. UW further recommends not altering one’s social media account beyond that privacy setting.
International students, who typically have F-1 visas, have been subject to this social media review since June. More than 600 international students attended UW this fall, accounting for almost 6% of the student body. This was an increase from the previous year. Nationwide, the number of international students fell.
The top five home countries for international students at UW are Bangladesh, Nepal, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria.
According to numbers provided by UW, the university employs 706 foreign nationals, including many student employees, 70 of whom hold H-1B visas.
UW recommends foreign employees contact university HR as they prepare travel plans. The employee email also warned about “significant operational strain at certain consular posts” created by the State Department’s recent announcement.
“Posts with a high volume of H-visa interviews — such as Chennai and Hyderabad [both in India] — have begun postponing large numbers of appointments to avoid unmanageable processing backlogs,” the email states. “We are seeing individuals who previously had December 2025 appointments being rescheduled to Spring and Summer 2026. For most applicants, there are limited options beyond waiting for rescheduled appointments.”
