US cancels 100,000 visas under Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown

The United States has revoked more than 100,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office, marking a record number of cancellations within a single year, according to the State Department.

A spokesperson for the department, Tommy Pigott, said on Monday that the Trump administration has placed top priority on national security and sovereignty.

He noted that the scale of the revocations reflects that commitment.

Figures released by the State Department show that the number of visas withdrawn since Trump’s second inauguration on January 20, 2025, is more than double those revoked in 2024 under former President Joe Biden.

Officials said thousands of the cancellations were linked to criminal offences, including violent crimes and drunk driving.

The department also disclosed that about 8,000 of the revoked visas belonged to students.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has drawn attention to the cancellation of visas issued to some foreign students who participated in protests against Israel.

He relied on a Cold War-era law that permits the US to deny entry to individuals considered to be acting against American foreign policy, although some of those affected have successfully challenged deportation orders in court.

In addition to revocations, the administration has tightened visa screening procedures, including expanded reviews of applicants’ social media activity.

The move forms part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.

The Department of Homeland Security recently announced that more than 605,000 people have been deported, while an estimated 2.5 million others left the country voluntarily.