The State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has revoked more than 6,000 student visas this year due to overstays, criminal activity, and ties to terrorism. The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to tighten visa vetting and crack down on abuses within the student visa program.
According to a Fox News report, roughly 4,000 of the revoked visas involved students who broke U.S. laws while in the country, including incidents of assault and DUIs. About 800 students had their visas pulled specifically for assault-related charges or arrests. Between 200 and 300 visas were revoked over support for terrorism, including fundraising for Hamas.
A State Department official emphasized that every revocation was linked to violations of U.S. law or evidence of support for terrorist organizations. “Every single student visa revoked under the Trump Administration has happened because the individual has either broken the law or expressed support for terrorism while in the United States,” the official told Fox News Digital.
Overall, the Trump administration has revoked about 40,000 visas in 2025, far surpassing the 16,000 pulled under President Joe Biden during the same time frame in the previous year. The policy reflects President Trump’s campaign promises to strengthen national security by enforcing stricter immigration controls.
Secretary Rubio told a Senate appropriations subcommittee earlier this year that visa revocations will continue. “We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” he said, noting that thousands more cases are under review.
The stepped-up enforcement comes as the administration increases scrutiny of students involved in pro-Palestinian protests and other activities flagged as potential threats. The move underscores Trump’s hardline approach to immigration and national security, marking a sharp contrast with his predecessor’s policies.
