Trump administration revokes over 100,000 visas amid crackdown on immigrants

The US revoked the visas of more than 100,000 foreign nationals last year, the State Department said on Monday, as the Trump administration continues to enforce stricter immigration curbs.

"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," deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said in an emailed statement to Anadolu.

He added that the revocations included thousands of foreign nationals charged or convicted of crimes, including assault, theft, and driving under the influence.

"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," Pigott said, "The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security."

The statement came amid the administration's broader crackdown on immigrants, which has extended to international students and activists critical of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza. Legal challenges have pushed back against these actions.

Turkish PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was arrested on the street by plainclothes ICE agents after co-authoring an op-ed on Gaza, was later released from ICE detention, and a federal judge restored her student record in December.

Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful US resident and pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University, was also released and has legally challenged the revocation of his visa.