President Trump kicked off that misguided focus by ordering a sweeping review of all more than 55 million current U.S. visa holders. They are expressly searching for violations of immigration policy. This announcement follows several steps to refuse or rescind short-term visas. The targets are specifically those persons viewed as at odds with U.S. foreign policy priorities, particularly regarding Israel.
In April, the administration went even further than that—incredibly, by rescinding or changing the legal status of hundreds of thousands of international students. Only a short time later, the administration reversed course and reinstated their visas, indicating just how volatile immigration policies have been during the Trump administration. Visa holders are subject to review under grave allegations targeting innocent students and academic institutions. These accusations center on antisemitism and support for terrorism—most recently in relation to protests calling for Palestinian rights after Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza started last October.
Since Secretary of State Marco Rubio assumed office in January, the administration has revoked approximately 6,000 student visas due to overstays and various violations of local, state, and federal laws. These actions are part of a larger overall plan to demonize immigrants and stop them from entering the country by enforcing draconian breakthroughs in vetting.
There’s no doubt that foreign students today are under much more scrutiny. They require them to open their social media accounts for review by U.S. diplomats before being awarded educational and exchange visas. In fact, the administration has recently made clear its intentions to look specifically for such “anti-American” perspectives when reviewing applications.
To muddle the situation further for prospective international students, in May, the administration suspended all student visa interviews. Added by June, this new social media vetting measure made it pretty clear that the administration was focused on looking into applicants with a fine-tooth comb.
Yet the State Department seems to have doubled down on its position on visa revocations. It cautioned that even indications of ineligibility may lead to revocation of visas. A department spokesperson remarked:
“America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies.”
So far, authorities have canceled nearly 4,000 visas. This move focused in holders who engaged in extreme illegal behaviors such as battery and DUI. If new evidence comes to light pointing to a visa holder’s ineligibility while they’re still in the U.S., they may find themselves suddenly deportable.
“US Citizenship and Immigration Services is committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible. Immigration benefits – including to live and work in the United States – remain a privilege, not a right.”
The State Department also reinforced its position on visa revocations, noting that any indications of potential ineligibility can lead to visa annulments. A department spokesperson remarked:
“The State Department revokes visas any time there are indications of a potential ineligibility, which includes things like any indicators of overstays, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity, or providing support to a terrorist organization.”
Approximately 4,000 visas have been revoked for holders who “broke the law” through criminal acts such as assault and driving under the influence. If evidence emerges suggesting a visa holder’s ineligibility while they remain in the U.S., they could face deportation.