The State Department has revoked more than 6,000 international student visas because of violations of US law and overstays, the department told the BBC.
The U.S. State Department has canceled more than 6,000 international student visas due to violations of U.S. law, including assault, DUIs, burglary, and “support for terrorism,” officials confirmed to the BBC. Around 4,000 revocations were tied to criminal offenses, while 200-300 were linked to “terrorist activity” under broad legal definitions.
The move aligns with the Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies, which have also introduced enhanced social media vetting for visa applicants. Since June, students have been required to publicly share social media profiles for screening of “hostility toward U.S. principles” or extremist ties.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in May that “thousands” of visas had been revoked, vowing to continue targeting those “disrupting higher education facilities.” Critics, including Democrats, argue the policy undermines due process, particularly amid reports of revoked visas for pro-Palestine activism labeled as antisemitic.
Over 1.1 million international students studied in the U.S. in 2023-24, per Open Doors data. The State Department did not specify which countries were most affected but emphasized enforcing “national security” priorities.