The United States government has announced the revocation of a significant number of visas for foreign nationals, a move the U.S. Department of State described in a statement on Thursday as “promises made, promises kept” by the President Donald Trump administration. The Department of State confirmed that Mr Trump “will always put the safety and interests of the American people first,” reflecting a broad crackdown on immigration and enhanced security vetting.
Since the inauguration in January 2025, the Trump administration has reportedly revoked approximately 80,000 non-immigrant visas, more than doubling the number of revocations compared to the same period in 2024. The cancellations cover a wide range of offences, with criminal acts accounting for nearly half of all revocations this year.
Major reasons for these revocations include driving under the influence, assault, and theft. The State Department reported specific figures for these offences in 2025: 16,000 visas were revoked for driving under the influence, 12,000 for assault, and 8,000 for theft.
Other stated reasons for the cancellations include terrorism, supporting terrorism, public safety threats, and overstaying visas. Furthermore, the administration has adopted stricter policies, including tightened social media vetting and expanded screening procedures for applicants, with officials warning that even expressing support for Palestinians or criticising Israel’s conduct in the Gaza conflict could lead to deportation or visa revocation, labelling such speech as contrary to US foreign policy.
