State Department: About 85,000 U.S. Visas Revoked Since January Amid Expanded Vetting

The State Department says the Trump administration has revoked roughly 85,000 visas across all categories since January — more than double the number pulled the previous year. The tally includes more than 8,000 student visas and comes as the administration expands vetting and enforcement measures targeting who may enter and remain in the United States.

What Officials Say

A department official told reporters that offenses such as driving under the influence, assaults and theft accounted for "almost half of the revocations in the past year." The official did not specify reasons for the remaining revocations, though the department previously cited visa expirations and alleged support for terrorism as grounds for some cancellations.

The revocation campaign has raised First Amendment and free-speech concerns after officials focused on international students who participated in protests over the war in Gaza. The State Department has also said it revoked visas from some individuals it alleged had "celebrated" acts of violence or threats against public figures — a claim that has drawn scrutiny and questions about the evidence and legal basis for such actions.

"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," the official said.

Expanded Vetting And New Guidance

In August, officials announced a policy of "continuous vetting" covering more than 55 million foreigners who hold valid U.S. visas. The department said it regularly reviews law enforcement and immigration records and any new information that emerges after a visa is issued.

Last week, a diplomatic cable indicated the State Department can deny H-1B visas under an "enhanced vetting" process that could include people who worked in content moderation or fact-checking roles, a change first reported by Reuters. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a policy restricting visas for foreign nationals deemed to have "censored" Americans.

In June, guidance to U.S. embassies and consulates instructed officers to assess student visa applicants for "hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles." The guidance asks applicants to make social media profiles public for vetting and warns that limited online visibility "could be construed as an effort to evade or hide certain activity." Secretary Rubio has defended the administration's approach to revoking student visas.

Related Immigration Enforcement

Separately, the Department of Homeland Security has stepped up detention and deportation operations. The administration has effectively paused refugee resettlement and said it will review refugees admitted under the prior administration.

Earlier this year, travel from 19 countries was restricted. CNN reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has recommended expanding that list to about 30–32 countries following a shooting in Washington, D.C., that wounded two National Guard members; the suspect in that incident is reported to be an Afghan national.

The increase in visa revocations and the broader policy changes have prompted debate about national security, immigration enforcement, and civil liberties, with critics warning of potential overreach and chilling effects on free expression among foreign-born students and visitors.