The Trump administration announced that it has revoked over 100,000 visas since he took office, marking what it claimed to be a dramatic uptick from the previous year.
The increase is part of the administration’s aggressive crackdown on immigration, which aims to curb illegal migration while simultaneously restricting options for lawful entry.
“The Trump administration has no higher priority than protecting American citizens and upholding American sovereignty,” Tommy Pigott, a spokesperson for the State Department, said in a statement to The Independent. “In less than one year, the State Department revoked over 100,000 visas from foreign nationals, marking a new record and more than a 150% increase in revocations since 2024.”
Pigott claimed that many of the rescinded visas had been given to foreign criminals.
“The State Department revoked visas from thousands of foreign nationals charged or convicted with crimes, including assault, theft, and driving under the influence,” he said. “The State Department’s recently-launched Continuous Vetting Center works to ensure that all foreign nationals on American soil comply with our laws — and that the visas of those who pose a threat to American citizens are swiftly revoked.”
In a post on X Monday, the State Department, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said that 8,000 student visas had been withdrawn in addition to “2,500 specialized visas” for people who had encounters with law enforcement.
“We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe,” the department said in the post, which included a photo of Trump dancing.
Last year’s revocations come after Trump, on January 20, issued an executive order calling on federal agencies to enhance their vetting procedures for those seeking entry into the U.S.
Since then, the State Department has moved to cancel visas for foreign nationals for a number of reasons, including over statements made about Israel and deceased conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In March, Rubio spoke in defense of these restrictive policies, telling CBS News: “When you apply to enter the United States and you get a visa, you are a guest. If you tell us when you apply for a visa, ‘I’m coming to the U.S. to participate in pro-Hamas events,’ that runs counter to the foreign policy interest of the United States.”
In August, the State Department announced it was vetting more than 55 million visa holders in the country.
While the federal government is legally allowed to cancel visas, the Republican administration has cracked down on visa holders “with minor infractions that may in the past have meant foreign nationals could keep their legal status,” according to Newsweek.
The State Department’s latest announcement was met with mixed reactions online.
“Immigrants who break our laws shouldn’t be allowed to stay in our country,” Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, wrote on X. “I’m glad the @SecRubio is deporting these criminals.”
“The government is now openly bragging about causing damaging brain drain at colleges, the destruction of community tax bases and helping to worsen labor force availability,” one user wrote. Another posted: “International students are thugs now.”
Meanwhile, as thousands of visas for students are being canceled, another group is experiencing a sharp rise in visa approvals: adult content creators. The number of O-1B visas granted to OnlyFans models and online influencers has skyrocketed since the pandemic, The Independent reported last week.
