US crackdown on foreign students: Over 6,000 visas revoked this year; about 4,000 linked to criminal offences

US crackdown on foreign students: Over 6,000 visas revoked this year; about 4,000 linked to criminal offences

The US state department revoked more than 6,000 student visas this year, as the Trump administration pressed forward with its crackdown on international students accused of breaking the law. According to a department official, the visas were revoked because individuals either overstayed their permits or violated US laws. The “vast majority” of the legal violations involved assault, driving under the influence, burglary, and “support for terrorism.” Of the more than 6,000 revocations, about 4,000 were linked to criminal offenses. Secretary of state Marco Rubio said in an interview with EWTN in early August that a student visa is not a constitutional right.“There is no constitutional right to a student visa. A student visa is something we decide to give you. Visas of every kind are denied every day all over the world. As I speak to you now, someone’s visa application to the US is being denied. So, if I would have denied you a visa had I known something about you, and I find out afterwards that I gave you a visa and I found this out about you, why wouldn’t I be able to revoke your visa?”Between 200 and 300 visas were canceled over alleged terrorism under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that bar foreign nationals from entry due to “terrorist related activities”, CNN reported. The revocations came as the Trump administration escalated its scrutiny of universities and student visa programs. Officials particularly focused on international students participating in protests against the war in Gaza, accusing them of antisemitism and supporting terrorism. In one high-profile case, Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk’s visa was canceled. She was detained by masked federal agents in March and placed in ICE custody, before a judge ordered her release in May. In June, the State Department instructed embassies and consulates to more closely vet student visa applicants for “hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.” Applicants were asked to make their social media profiles public as part of the process. According to the State Department, roughly 400,000 F1 student visas were issued in fiscal year 2024.