- The State Department confirmed the Trump administration has revoked over 300,000 visas since January 2025, surpassing an earlier count of 175,000 reported in August
- State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the administration revoked more visas faster than any other administration in US history
- Rights advocates raised concerns that the crackdown targets critics, ethnic minorities, and pro-Palestinian protesters under the cover of national security
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
The United States State Department said on Tuesday that the Trump administration has cancelled more than 300,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, marking a sharp increase from the 175,000 revocations recorded as of August 10.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the Trump administration "has revoked more visas at a faster pace than any administration in history."
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As reported by Reuters, Pigott added that the government maintains "zero tolerance for foreigners here on visas who break the law, commit fraud, or undermine our national security."
Scale of the visa crackdown
The jump from 175,000 to over 300,000 revocations within weeks signals a significant acceleration in the federal government's immigration enforcement effort.
Trump has framed the broader crackdown, which includes aggressive deportation drives and tighter border controls, as necessary to strengthen domestic security.
The administration has also introduced stricter social media screening for immigrants and visa applicants as part of its enforcement push. In addition, certain work visas now carry higher fees, making the legal immigration pathway more difficult for many applicants.
According to New York Post, a State Department official said at least 4,000 visas were yanked from foreign nationals “who engage in or facilitated birth tourism,”
“With over 300,000 revocations, the Trump administration has revoked more visas at a faster pace than any administration in history,” added State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
“Let the message be clear: we have zero tolerance for foreigners here on visas who break the law, commit fraud, or undermine our national security. We are taking, and will continue to take, action to keep our borders, and our nation, secure.”
Rights groups push back
Civil rights advocates have criticised the scale and direction of the revocations, arguing that the government is using national security as cover to silence dissent and target specific communities.
Among the cases drawing the sharpest criticism are the cancellations of visas belonging to foreign nationals who took part in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's military operations in Gaza, as well as individuals whose social media posts referenced conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's assassination.
Advocates also raised concerns about what they describe as racial profiling, pointing in particular to the targeting of Somali American communities in Minnesota.
They argue that isolated incidents of fraud are being used to justify broad enforcement actions against entire immigrant groups.
Rights groups say the cumulative effect of these measures has created a climate of fear, especially among ethnic minorities living in the United States on valid visas.
US State Department revokes over 250,000 visas
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the State Department confirmed it has revoked more than 250,000 visas since President Trump returned to office.
Revocations covered crimes, national security threats, birth tourism, and abuse of the asylum system.
27 Latin American officials and their families lost their visas over corruption accusations.
Source: Legit.ng