The Trump administration has cancelled 85,000 visas since January as part of a sweeping expansion of national security vetting, including thousands of student visas revoked over safety and criminal concerns
The Trump administration’s sharpened focus on immigration control has resulted in a substantial surge in visa cancellations, with the US State Department confirming that 85,000 visas have been revoked since January. The move reflects a broader programme of tightened national-security screening and expanded vetting across multiple categories of visa holders.
In a post on X, the department stated, “85,000 visa revocations since January. President Trump and Secretary Rubio adhere to one simple mandate, and they won’t stop anytime soon,” pairing the message with an image of Trump carrying the slogan “Make America Safe Again.”
85,000 visa revocations since January.
President Trump and Secretary Rubio adhere to one simple mandate, and they won’t stop anytime soon⤵️ pic.twitter.com/fbNYw9wj71
— Department of State (@StateDept) December 9, 2025
A senior State Department official told CNN that more than 8,000 of the revoked visas were student visas, more than double last year’s figure. According to the official, DUIs, assaults, and theft accounted for nearly half of all cancellations, focusing on individuals regarded as “a direct threat to our communities’ safety.” Other causes included visa overstays, criminal concerns, and support for terrorism.
Expanded vetting and paused immigration pathways
The administration has widened continuous vetting to all 55 million visa holders, allowing authorities to revoke visas whenever new information emerges. It has also begun re-examining green card applications from “countries of concern,” paused asylum decisions, and halted visas for Afghans who assisted US forces.
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