...
By Hollie Silverman and Dan Gooding
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The Trump administration has revoked over 100,000 visas in less than a year, Tommy Pigott, the State Department's deputy spokesperson, said in a post on X on Monday.
"That includes revoked visas from thousands of foreign nationals charged or convicted with crimes, including assault, theft, and driving under the influence," he continued.
The number of visas revoked in 2025 is a record and more than double those revoked under President Joe Biden in 2024, according to a report from Fox News.
Read More on News
Newsweek reached out to the Department of State for comment via contact form Monday morning. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) deferred to the Department of State when asked for additional comment.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump returned to the White House last January on a promise of deporting millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally and his administration has also taken a tougher stance against those with, or seeking, legal status. Immigration enforcement falls under DHS, but the State Department is responsible for initial visa issuances, and it was under Secretary of State Marco Rubio that efforts to revoke visas dramatically increased, creating more immigrants without legal status.
...
What To Know
The State Department told Fox News that the revocations were mostly for travelers who overstayed on business or tourist visas. Other revocations included people on drunk driving arrests, assault charges and other charges including theft, child abuse and fraud.
The report noted that almost 500 students lost their visas due to drug possession and distribution.
According to the report, the 100,000 revocations set a new record, with 2024 seeing 40,000 visas pulled under Biden. However, official statistics on immigration have been harder to come by under the Trump administration, and it was not immediately clear how many of those former visa holders have left the U.S.
The federal government has the right to revoke visas through a broad range of discretionary powers and while that has been the case for many years, the Trump administration has cracked down on those with minor infractions that may in the past have meant foreign nationals could keep their legal status—such as parking tickets and DUIs.
In 2025, Rubio said his department would revoke student visas for those linked to pro-Hamas actions on campuses across the country—largely those taking part in pro-Palestine rallies—and took status away from those who were seen to have celebrated conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk's murder in Utah.
In August, the department said it was undertaking continuous vetting of all 55 million foreigners with U.S. visas—some of whom were not in the U.S. at the time.
The administration has faced sharp criticism from immigration attorneys and advocates, as well as some Democrats, who see these actions as a way to create more immigrants eligible for deportation, after Trump set an ambitious target of over 10 million deportations across his second term.
What People Are Saying
Jeremy Beck, co-president of immigration think tank NumbersUSA, told Newsweek in a statement: "Hundreds of thousands of visitors overstay their visas annually. We need a greater degree of accountability to ensure that we can remain a country open to tens of millions of visitors every year. Revoking visas is one effective tool among many. Another tool is E-Verify, the free online system that employers can use to verify that their new hires are authorized to work in the United States. Most people who overstay their visas remain in the country illegally for one reason: they get jobs."
Tommy Piggott, State Department principal deputy spokesperson, speaking to Fox News: "The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security."
What Happens Next
The U.S. has now made it harder for some nationals to obtain a visa in the first place, through an updated travel ban, but the Trump administration continues to see legal challenges over its efforts to restrict legal immigration.
Updated 1/12/26 at 12:01 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional context.
Updated 1/12/26 at 1:43 p.m.: This article has been updated with comment from Beck.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines