US Revokes 85,000 Visas Amid Expanded Immigration and Security Measures.
The US State Department announced on Tuesday that 85,000 visas have been revoked since January, highlighting a rapid escalation in immigration enforcement and tightened national-security screening under the Trump administration.
In a post on X, the department stated: “85,000 visa revocations since January. President Trump and Secretary Rubio adhere to one simple mandate, and they won’t stop anytime soon.” The post featured an image of Trump with the slogan “Make America Safe Again,” signaling that visa enforcement is central to the administration’s security agenda.
According to CNN, the revoked visas include over 8,000 student visas — double the number from last year. A State Department official said the most common reasons for revocations were DUIs, assaults, and theft, which together accounted for nearly half of the cases. These offenses, the official noted, represent individuals deemed a direct threat to public safety.
While officials did not provide a full breakdown of other revocations, past cases have involved visa overstays, criminal activity, and suspected support for terrorism. The administration has increasingly scrutinized international students involved in campus protests, sometimes linking them to antisemitism or extremist groups.
The surge in visa cancellations coincides with an expanded continuous-vetting policy for all 55 million foreign nationals holding valid visas, allowing the government to revoke visas if new information arises. Travel restrictions already cover 19 countries, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has proposed expanding the list to 30–32 countries, following a recent shooting in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national that injured two National Guard members.
Other recent measures include:
Reexamining green card applications from individuals in “countries of concern.”
Pausing all asylum decisions.
Halting visas for Afghans who assisted US forces.
These moves reflect the administration’s aggressive approach to linking immigration policy closely with national security priorities.
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