WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has revoked nearly 85,000 visas across various categories since January, more than double last year’s total, US State Department officials said.

A senior official told CNN on Monday that about half of the revocations were linked to criminal offenses such as driving under the influence, assault, and theft. Over 8,000 of the cancelled visas belonged to international students, including a significant number from South Asia.

The State Department has also targeted foreign nationals allegedly involved in protests against the Gaza war, accusing some of antisemitism or supporting terrorism. Some visas were reportedly revoked from individuals who “celebrated” the murder of political commentator Charlie Kirk.

“The State Department revokes visas any time there are indications of a potential ineligibility,” the official said, citing overstays, criminal activity, threats to public safety, or links to terrorism. A policy of “continuous vetting” now applies to all 55 million foreign nationals holding valid U.S. visas, the agency added.

In President Donald Trump’s second term, visa eligibility criteria have been significantly expa­nded. A diplomatic cable last week outlined new restrictions on H1-B visa applicants who previously worked in content moderation or fact-checking roles.

In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced a policy limiting visas for foreign nationals who “censor” Americans. In June, US embassies were directed to screen student visa applicants for “hostile attitudes” toward American citizens and institutions and require public access to their social media profiles.

The Department of Homeland Security has simultaneously stepped up detention and deportation operations while freezing refugee resettlement programs. Earlier this year, travel from 19 countries was restricted. Following a shooting in Washington allegedly committed by an Afghan national, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly recommended expanding the list of restricted countries to 30–32.

On December 5, 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the establishment of a specialized Vetting Center in Atlanta, Georgia, aimed at centralizing and strengthening the screening of foreign nationals. The center is designed to identify individuals who may pose a threat to the U.S., including terrorists, persons with criminal backgrounds, and those involved in fraud.

The administration has also shortened the validity of initial and renewal employment authorization documents from five years to 18 months for categories including refugees, asylum seekers, those granted withholding of deportation or removal, and applicants with pending adjustment-of-status or relief applications.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2025