The United States government has revoked more than 6,000 student visas over alleged immigration and security violations, including criminal activity and suspected terrorism links.
Officials quoted by the BBC said most of the cancellations were connected to cases of assault, burglary, drunk driving, and what was broadly described as “support for terrorism.”
About 4,000 visas were tied directly to criminal offences, while another 200 to 300 were revoked under Section 3B of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which covers terrorism-related activities.
The measure comes as part of a wider clampdown on foreign students under the Trump administration. Though U.S. authorities did not define what amounted to “support for terrorism,” the government has previously come under fire for linking pro-Palestinian protests on campuses with antisemitic conduct.
Earlier this year, student visa appointments were temporarily suspended before being restored in June with stricter checks.
Diaspora NG had reported that applicants are now required to submit their social media handles so consular officials can screen for content deemed hostile to the U.S. or its citizens.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio, addressing lawmakers in May, defended the action, saying, “We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities.”
The crackdown has triggered criticism from Democrats and rights advocates, who argue that it undermined due process and unfairly targets international students.
