US Revokes 6,000 Student Visas Over Law Violations and Security

• Aug 19, 2025

The US State Department has revoked more than 6,000 international student visas, citing violations of American law, overstays, and national security concerns. Officials said the majority of cases involved criminal activity such as assault, driving under the influence, burglary, and what they described as “support for terrorism.”

The announcement comes amid the Trump administration’s continued crackdown on immigration and international students. While the State Department did not clarify what it meant by “support for terrorism,” some students who protested in support of Palestine have been accused of engaging in antisemitic behavior, according to administration officials.

Of the revoked visas, about 4,000 were linked to criminal law violations. An additional 200 to 300 were canceled under “terrorism done under INA 3B,” a statute that defines terrorist activity broadly to include acts that endanger lives or break US laws.

Earlier in the year, the Trump administration paused visa appointment scheduling for international students, later resuming the process with stricter rules. Applicants were required to make their social media accounts public as part of enhanced screening. Officials said the purpose was to detect “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States.”

State Department officers were also directed to identify applicants who advocate for or support foreign terrorist groups, engage in unlawful antisemitic harassment, or pose other threats to national security.

In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that “thousands” of visas had been rescinded since January, noting the government would continue revoking visas of students who disrupt academic environments. “We probably have more to do,” Rubio said.

The policy has drawn criticism from Democrats, who argue that the sweeping revocations undermine due process and unfairly target international students.

Despite the crackdown, international student enrollment in the US remains high. More than 1.1 million students from over 210 countries studied at American colleges and universities during the 2023–24 academic year, according to Open Doors, a group that tracks foreign student data.