WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the U.S. while it prepares to expand the screening of their activity on social media, officials said.
A U.S. official said Tuesday the suspension is intended to be temporary and does not apply to applicants who already had scheduled their visa interviews. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal administration document.
A cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press says the State Department plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting.
“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity" until the guidance is issued, the cable says.
Asked about the suspension at a briefing Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the U.S. uses every available resource to vet people applying for visas.
“We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that’s coming here, whether they are students or otherwise,” Bruce said.
The move, first reported by Politico, is the latest in the Trump administration's crackdown on international students.
Last week, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, removing the college from the program that allows schools to sponsor foreign students for visas. That effort was quickly challenged in court and for now is blocked by a federal judge.
This spring the administration also revoked the legal status of thousands of international students already in the country, leading some to leave the U.S. out of fear of deportation. After many students filed successful legal challenges, the administration said it was restoring the students’ legal status. But the government also expanded the grounds for terminating international students' legal status going forward.
President Donald Trump’s previous administration stepped up scrutiny of all visa applicants, introducing reviews of their social media accounts. The policy remained during President Joe Biden's administration.
An extended pause in scheduling student visas could lead to delays that may disrupt college, boarding-school or exchange students' plans to enroll in summer and fall terms.
A downturn in enrollment of international students could hurt university budgets. To make up for cuts in federal research funding, some colleges shifted to enrolling more international students, who often pay full tuition.
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
A protester cheers while listening to Harvard University students speak at a protest against President Donald Trump's recent sanctions against Harvard in front of Science Center Plaza on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a hearing of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
HAMBURG, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 22, 2025--
XCharge is cooperating in testing with EnBW on their fast-charging-network, the EnBW HyperNet in Germany. Since August 2025, EnBW has deployed one charger to complement a location near Stuttgart. Now, an important step in the collaboration was made and a field test with 10 charging stations at four different locations has started. The test includes two XCharge units at EnBW’s site in EnBW City in Stuttgart and three other sites; Rutesheim, Karlsruhe (Durlach Center), and Karlsruhe central train station.
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EnBW operates Germany’s largest high-power charging network with over 8,000 fast-charging points. EnBW is continuously testing hardware and software solutions for fast charging, including products from XCharge.
Over the past year, EnBW has conducted lab and field trials of XCharge’s technology. The initial results have been promising: “ XCharge has shown good capability across technology, service, data protection, and software, and has met our requirements throughout the evaluation process,” explains Volker Rimpler, Chief Technology Officer E-Mobility at EnBW. “ We have analyzed several thousand charging processes in the laboratory and continuously developed the hardware and software based on this.”
From XCharge’s perspective, the collaboration represents a major milestone. Albina Iljasov, Head of Europe at XCharge states: “ Germany remains a key market for us, and we continue to expand our presence here. Working with EnBW, the largest Charge Point Operator in Germany, demonstrates that our technology meets the high standards of the country’s leading fast-charging network. This collaboration in the current testing phase allows us to contribute to the further development and expansion of reliable high-power charging infrastructure in Germany.”
Technical strengths of XCharge chargers
The chargers under test rely on XCharge’s advanced DC fast-charging technology. The C7 Ultra-Fast Charger delivers up to 400 kW at a maximum of 600 A, enabling shorter charging times. It features dual CCS connectors, a user-friendly touchscreen interface, and a compact, modular design that simplifies installation and maintenance. Optional liquid- or air-cooled cables allow flexible operation under high load, while legal-for-billing certification ensures compliance with measurement regulations in public networks.
With dual headquarters in Hamburg and Texas, XCharge sees this testing cooperation with Germany’s leading energy provider as an important step. The strong performance of C7 chargers in EnBW’s evaluations confirms their suitability for reliable, high-quality applications that meet European requirements and support the expansion of the charging infrastructure.
E-mobility at EnBW
With over 30,000 employees, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG is one of the largest energy companies in Germany and Europe, supplying around 5.5 million customers with electricity, gas, and water, as well as energy solutions and energy management services. In the field of e-mobility, EnBW has developed into a market leader in recent years and, as a full-service provider, covers the entire spectrum with its subsidiaries: from electricity generation from renewable energy sources to the construction, expansion, and operation of charging infrastructure to digital solutions for consumers. Netze BW, an independent EnBW subsidiary, also ensures the safe operation of distribution networks. As one of the German market leaders for home storage and photovoltaic systems, the company also combines solar, storage, and electricity cloud solutions with electric mobility offerings to create a complete energy ecosystem for its customers.
The EnBW HyperNet® offers drivers access to more than 900,000 charging points in Europe. The EnBW mobility+ app always finds the nearest charging option wherever you are. Drivers can also pay conveniently and contactless via the app. After a one-time registration, customers can simply connect their vehicle to most of EnBW's own fast charging points and start charging right away. Transparent prices per kilowatt hour apply at all charging points in the EnBW HyperNet.
The energy company operates Germany's largest fast-charging network and is consistently expanding the EnBW HyperNet in line with demand. Through the SMATRICS EnBW joint venture, it also operates the largest fast-charging network in Austria and is vigorously expanding the nationwide charging infrastructure there as well.
About XCharge
XCharge (NASDAQ: XCH), founded in 2015, is an integrated EV charging and energy solutions company. With dual headquarters in Hamburg, Germany and Austin, Texas, the Company offers comprehensive EV charging solutions, which primarily include the DC fast chargers and the advanced battery-integrated DC fast chargers as well as its accompanying services. Through the combination of XCharge’s proprietary charging technology, energy storage system technology and accompanying services, the Company enhances EV charging efficiency and unlocks the value of energy storage and management. Committed to providing innovative and efficient EV charging solutions, XCharge is actively working toward establishing a global green future that is critical to long-term growth and development.
About XCharge Europe GmbH
XCharge Europe GmbH is a provider of high-power and battery-integrated charging solutions. Headquartered in Hamburg since 2017, XCharge Europe GmbH supports industry leaders with innovative charging solutions and reliable after-sales service. With the addition of a new test lab in Hamburg in 2024, alongside the new Madrid technical center, XCharge Europe GmbH reinforces its commitment to the European market, enabling rigorous product testing, tailored solutions, and the advancement of e-mobility across the region.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements regarding the company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "objective," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to," or other similar expressions. For further information about these and other risks, uncertainties, or factors, please refer to XCHG Limited's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release speaks as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such information, except as required by applicable law.
Source: EnBW
