Trump administration escalates deportation policy, withdraws 80,000 Visas

At least 80,000 visas have been revoked by the administration of President Donald Trump since January 2025, according to the US State Department.

The figure, released on Thursday, is more than double the number of visas withdrawn last year.

Among the revoked visas are 16,000 for driving under the influence, 12,000 for assault, and 8,000 belonging to students.

The department cited additional reasons such as terrorism support, criminal activity, public safety threats, overstays, and terrorism involvement.

However, it did not specify the nationalities of those affected.

The sweeping visa cancellations form part of Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown, launched at the start of his second term when he declared a national emergency at the border during his inaugural address.

“Promises made, promises kept,” the State Department wrote on X, adding that Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “will always put the safety and interests of the American people first.”

In June, the US Supreme Court backed a Trump policy allowing the deportation of migrants to third countries, even those experiencing conflict, instead of returning them to their home nations.

The decision sparked widespread criticism from rights groups, who condemned the forced deportations.

In August, a State Department spokesperson confirmed that more than 6,000 student visas had been revoked for overstays and legal violations, with a few cases tied to “support for terrorism.”

The Trump administration has broadly defined this term to include criticism of US support for Israel and advocacy for Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.

Last month, the department also revoked the visas of foreign nationals who celebrated the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

The US has since tightened visa rules further. In July, the embassy requested that all F, M, and J non-immigrant visa applicants make their social media accounts public during the screening process.

That same month, it announced a new policy limiting most Nigerian non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to single entry with a three-month validity.

The embassy in Nigeria also warned that applicants presenting fake documents risk facing a permanent entry ban from the United States.

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