Trump administration revoked more than 6,000 student visas, State Department says

The US State Department has revoked more than 6,000 student visas for overstaying or breaking the law, including a small number for alleged support of terrorism, a State Department official said Monday.

The cancellations are part of the Trump administration’s stricter approach to student visas, which includes tighter social media checks and expanded screening, as reported by Fox Digital. Diplomats have been instructed to watch for applicants seen as hostile to the US or involved in political activism.

Reasons for visa revocations


About 4,000 visas were cancelled due to criminal offenses, mainly assault, while some involved DUI or burglary. Between 200 and 300 visas were revoked under rules targeting individuals “engaging in terrorist activities” or having links to terrorist organizations. The official did not name any specific groups.

President Trump has criticized several top US universities, claiming they support antisemitism after student protests in favor of Palestinian rights amid the Gaza conflict. In disputes with Harvard, Trump has frozen funding for investigations and threatened to remove the university’s tax-exempt status. Several European countries have increased research grants to attract talent in response.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said hundreds or possibly thousands of visas have been revoked because recipients were involved in activities conflicting with US foreign policy. Trump administration officials have stated that visa and green card holders could face deportation for supporting Palestinians or criticizing Israel, describing these actions as threats to US foreign policy and labeling the individuals as pro-Hamas.

A student from Turkey at Tufts University was detained for over six weeks in Louisiana after co-authoring an opinion piece criticizing her school’s response to the Gaza war. She was released on bail after a federal judge intervened.

Trump's critics say the visa revocations represent an attack on free speech protected under the First Amendment.

(With inputs from Reuters)