The United States has revoked more than 100,000 visas in the last one year under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. Department of State has announced, underscoring a sharp escalation in the government’s hardline immigration policy.
According to the State Department, about 8,000 of the revoked visas were issued to students, while an additional 2,500 specialised visas were withdrawn from individuals who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement over criminal activities.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the department said, “The State Department has now revoked over 100,000 visas, including some 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized visas for individuals who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity.
“We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe.”
The Department of Homeland Security also disclosed last month that the Trump administration has deported more than 605,000 people, while an estimated 2.5 million others left the country voluntarily.
State Department spokesman, Tommy Pigott, said the visa revocations aligned with the administration’s core priorities.
“The Trump administration has no higher priority than protecting American citizens and upholding American sovereignty,” Pigott stated.
The latest figures represent a significant increase, with the number of visas revoked since Trump’s second inauguration on January 20, 2025, being about two-and-a-half times higher than the total recorded in 2024, when former President Joe Biden was in office.
The State Department noted that “thousands” of the revoked visas were linked to criminal offences, which may range from assault to drunk driving.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that visas were also withdrawn from some foreign students who participated in protests against Israel. Rubio reportedly relied on a McCarthy-era law that permits the U.S. government to deny entry to foreigners deemed to be acting against American foreign policy interests.
However, reports indicate that some of the high-profile individuals targeted under the policy have successfully challenged deportation orders in U.S. courts.
