US revokes over 6000 international student visas, vows further crackdown

The US State Department has revoked more than 6,000 visas belonging to international students, citing violations of American laws, overstays, and security risks.

Officials told the BBC that the majority of the violations were linked to offenses such as assault, driving under the influence (DUI), burglary, and what was broadly described as “support for terrorism.”

The move is part of the Trump administration’s wider crackdown on immigration and international students.

While the department did not clarify what “support for terrorism” entailed, the administration has previously targeted students involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, accusing them of antisemitic behavior.

Of the revoked visas, about 4,000 were tied directly to criminal activities, while an additional 200 to 300 were canceled under Section 3B of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which defines terrorism as acts that endanger human life or break US law.

Earlier this year, the administration temporarily suspended visa appointments for foreign students before resuming them in June with stricter screening requirements.

Applicants are now required to provide access to their social media accounts for review, allowing officers to check for potential hostility toward the US government, institutions, or citizens.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in May that thousands of student visas had already been revoked, with more likely to follow.

“We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” he said.

The decision has drawn criticism from Democrats, who argue that the policy undermines due process and unfairly targets foreign students.

Despite the crackdown, the US remains a top destination for international education, with over 1.1 million foreign students enrolled in American colleges during the 2023–24 academic year, according to Open Doors.