Washington (TDI): The US State Department has cancelled more than 6,000 student visas, citing criminal violations and national security concerns.
A department spokesperson disclosed that approximately 4,000 of these revocations were connected to criminal activities and breaking the law, including overstays. Common violations that have been mentioned include assault, driving under the influence (DUI) and burglary.
Another 200-300 were linked to alleged support for terrorism. Though the support for terrorism charges remain vague, some cases reportedly found students involved in pro‑Palestinian activism.
This surge in visa cancellations reflects a sharp ramp‑up in scrutiny compared to the Biden administration, which revoked around 16,000 visas in a comparable period, while under the Trump administration’s current term, approximately 40,000 have been revoked so far.
The current administration’s move, however, is politically influences as well, because most of the crackdown on international students came in response to pro-Palestine encampments and protests, which the administration calls “antisemitic.”
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The crackdown is paired with broader shifts in visa policy: the resumption of mandatory in‑person interviews, expanded social media screenings (including public profile requirements), and new directives for consular officers to flag applicants expressing hostility towards American culture, institutions, or founding principles .
More than 1.1 million international students from over 210 countries were enrolled in US colleges in the 2023-24 school year, according to Open Doors, an organization that collects data on foreign students (BBC reported).
Advocates and academic institutions warn this approach could undermine US higher education’s global appeal; a warning that has not been paid heed to by Trump and his administration, as they remain focused on funding cuts for higher education giants like Harvard and Columbia.
This tightening of student visa policies goes hand in hand with the intensified crackdown on immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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