The US State Department has revoked 4,000 student visas during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, with officials confirming that 90% of those affected had serious criminal records.
The announcement marks a major policy action focused on visa enforcement under Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to Fox News, which reported the development on April 29, 2025, a senior State Department official said the move is part of the administration’s efforts to tighten oversight of the student visa system and improve national security.
“Our visa system has lacked oversight and accountability,” a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital. “Over the past 100 days, the Trump Administration has worked to fix a broken system.”
Visa Revocations Linked to Criminal Activity
The revoked visas largely involved foreign students with documented criminal offenses. According to the New York Post, these included crimes such as arson, human and wildlife trafficking, child endangerment, domestic abuse, driving under the influence, robbery, and more than 500 cases of criminal assault.
“They came, and they were breaking the law with no consequences,” a source said to the Post. “We set up a special action team to handle this.”
The State Department said the revocations were based on information cross-referenced with databases from the Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies.
State Department Defends Policy Shift
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that visa revocations occur daily to protect US borders and ensure public safety.
The spokesperson said the department “revokes visas every day in order to secure America’s borders and keep our communities safe – and will continue to do so.”
“Because the process is ongoing, the number of revocations is dynamic,” the spokesperson said, explaining that the department “generally does not provide statistics on visa revocations.”
“The Trump administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.”
The spokesperson added that all visa applicants undergo interagency security vetting and that the process is ongoing, which makes the number of revocations subject to change.
Policy Also Targets Campus Protesters
Beyond criminal activity, the visa crackdown also included students involved in campus protests. Hundreds of student visas have recently been revoked for international students with ties to anti-Israel protests held at universities across the country, according to the State Department.
This is in line with the administration’s wider immigration policy, which includes removing individuals who authorities believe disrupt public order or break the terms of their visa.
“If you come into the United States as a visitor and create a ruckus for us, we don’t want it,” Secretary Rubio said during a cabinet meeting early in April.
“No one’s entitled to a student visa… If you come into my home and put all kinds of crap on my couch, I’m going to kick you out,” he said.
Rubio emphasized that student visas should go to those who want to study and earn degrees, not engage in protests or disruptive actions. He specifically mentioned situations like vandalism or campus takeovers as reasons for visa revocation.
Next Steps for Affected Students
According to New York Post reporting, most of the affected students are from Asia and the Middle East. Some have already left the United States, while others are expected to be deported by immigration enforcement.
Officials clarified that not all visa holders with legal infractions had their visas revoked. Cases involving lesser offenses or dropped charges, such as littering, were not included.
“There were cases where it was not a serious thing… where we didn’t revoke those,” a source said.
The Trump administration has indicated that visa enforcement will continue to be a key component of its immigration agenda, with further coordination expected between the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
