US revokes over 6,000 International Students Visas

The United States has cancelled more than 6,000 visas belonging to international students, citing breaches of immigration laws and overstays, officials have confirmed.

According to the State Department, most of the cases involved criminal offences such as assault, burglary, and driving under the influence, while others were linked to terrorism-related provisions under US law.

Of the total, about 4,000 visas were revoked due to direct violations of American law, while between 200 and 300 were tied to what the department described as terrorism under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The agency did not provide detailed clarification on what constituted “support for terrorism,” though the administration has previously targeted students accused of engaging in pro-Palestinian protests it deemed antisemitic.

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This development forms part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration clampdown, which has placed international students under tighter scrutiny. Earlier in the year, visa appointments were temporarily suspended, only to be resumed with new requirements that applicants disclose their social media accounts for background checks. Officials said the move was intended to identify applicants who might express hostility toward US citizens, institutions, or values.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in May that “thousands” of visas had already been rescinded since January, with more expected. “We will continue to revoke visas of people who come here as guests but disrupt our education system,” he noted.

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Democrats, however, have criticised the wave of cancellations, accusing the administration of undermining due process and unfairly targeting students. The policy shift affects a significant international student community in the United States, where more than 1.1 million foreign students from over 210 countries were enrolled in universities during the 2023–24 academic year, according to Open Doors.