Trump Administration Revokes Record 85K Visas Over Safety Concerns

The State Department has canceled a record 85,000 visas as the Trump administration increases scrutiny of visitors to the United States, Fox News reported Tuesday.

Of those revoked, more than 8,000 were student visas; more than double the total in 2024, a State Department official told the news outlet.

Officials cited a range of reasons for revoking the visas, including DUIs, assaults, and theft, which together accounted for nearly half of all revocations over the past year.

“These are people who pose a direct threat to our communities’ safety, and we do not want to have them in our country,” the official said.

In recent weeks, the administration has ordered U.S. consular officers to apply heightened scrutiny to H-1B visa applicants and reject anyone found to have participated in “censorship or attempted censorship” of protected speech in the United States.

The administration also announced a pause on immigration from 19 countries already under partial or full travel restrictions.

Last week, the State Department introduced a new visa-restriction policy in response to a wave of anti-Christian attacks in Nigeria, targeting individuals accused of orchestrating religious violence against Christians both in the West African nation and internationally.

In addition, visas and travel privileges were revoked for six Mexican executives working at an air travel company, along with their immediate family members.

U.S. officials said the group collaborated with smuggling networks to coordinate transportation and provide fraudulent travel documents for migrants, including minors, moving from the Caribbean and other regions through Central America, many of whom attempted to reach the United States.

The Trump administration has signaled that student visa vetting will continue as an ongoing process rather than a one-time check, reinforcing its focus on safeguarding U.S. communities.