Since taking office in January 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked more than 100,000 visas, setting a record for a single year. According to the State Department, this figure is more than two and a half times the number of visas canceled in 2024 under Joe Biden.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasized that protecting American citizens and upholding national sovereignty remains the administration’s top priority. A significant portion of the revoked visas involved individuals with criminal records, ranging from assault to drunk driving offenses.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also spotlighted the cancellation of visas for students who protested against Israel, citing a McCarthy-era law that allows the US to bar entry to foreigners seen as opposing American foreign policy. Some of these high-profile cases, however, have been successfully challenged in court. Overall, about 8,000 of the canceled visas were held by students.
Beyond individual cases, the administration has tightened visa vetting procedures, including screening applicants’ social media activity. These visa revocations are part of a broader crackdown on immigration, accompanied by an aggressive surge in federal enforcement. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security reported that over 605,000 people have been deported under Trump’s second term, while 2.5 million others left the country voluntarily.
