US revokes more than 300,000 visas under Trump crackdown
The United States has revoked more than 300,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the State Department announced Tuesday, as the administration expands immigration enforcement and tightens scrutiny of foreign nationals.
Criminal offenses and fraud drive cancellations
Mora Namdar, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, announced the figure on X, warning visa holders that violating US laws could cost them their right to travel to the country.
“300,000+ visa revocations and counting. Our message to visa holders is simple: respect our laws or lose the privilege of traveling to the United States,” Namdar wrote.
The latest figure marks a significant increase from more than 175,000 revocations reported in August and the 250,000 threshold disclosed in late September. The administration says it has canceled visas at a faster pace than any previous US government.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the measures target foreign nationals involved in illegal activities, fraud or conduct considered a threat to national security.
The administration has cited criminal offenses, violations of visa conditions, immigration fraud and threats to public safety or national security as grounds for revocation.
According to White House figures released Tuesday, the total includes at least 4,000 cases linked to birth tourism and 6,000 involving foreign students who committed crimes or had ties to terrorism.
More than 700 visas held by Chinese nationals have also been revoked by the administration’s Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force since its launch in August.
The State Department has not released a comprehensive breakdown of the revocations by nationality or visa category.
Social media screening expanded
The visa crackdown coincides with broader screening requirements for foreign nationals seeking entry to the United States.
Under measures announced in September, the State Department expanded online presence reviews effective Oct. 1 to cover additional nonimmigrant visa categories, including foreign media representatives and certain professionals from Canada and Mexico.
Applicants for I visas, issued to foreign media representatives, and TN and TD visas, covering certain professionals and their dependents under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, are required to make their social media profiles public or accessible for review.
The department already conducts online screening for several other categories, including international students, temporary workers, exchange visitors and certain religious workers.
US officials say the checks are intended to identify potential national security and public safety risks and assess whether applicants intend to comply with visa conditions.
Rights groups raise concerns
The broader policy shift has also introduced additional restrictions affecting legal immigration, including measures targeting foreign workers and tightening entry requirements.
Among the most controversial cases are visa cancellations involving foreign nationals who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations against Israeli attacks in Gaza. Other cases have involved foreign nationals whose social media comments about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk attracted scrutiny.
Rights advocates have questioned whether national security justifications are being used to target critics of the administration and warned that expanded screening could increase the risk of racial profiling and intensify scrutiny of immigrant communities.
The Trump administration maintains that the measures are necessary to protect public safety, enforce immigration laws and prevent foreign nationals considered a threat from entering or remaining in the country.
Source:turkiyetoday
