The administration of President Donald Trump has canceled more than 6,000 student visas for overstaying or breaking the law, including a small number linked to “support for terrorism,” a State Department official confirmed on Monday.
First reported by Fox Digital, the action reflects the Trump administration’s increasingly strict stance on student visas, which includes tighter social media vetting and expanded screening measures.
State Department directives issued this year instructed U.S. diplomats abroad to scrutinize applicants who might be hostile to the United States or have a history of political activism.
Approximately 4,000 visas were revoked due to criminal offenses, the official said, most commonly assault, with others related to driving under the influence and burglary.
Around 200 to 300 visas were canceled for terrorism-related reasons, citing rules in the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual. These rules identify visa ineligibility in cases of “engaging in terrorist activities” or “having certain links to terrorist organizations.” The official did not specify which groups the students supported.
President Trump has also clashed with several leading U.S. universities, accusing them of fostering antisemitism after widespread student protests advocating for Palestinian rights during the Gaza war. In his dispute with Harvard, Trump froze funding for investigations and threatened to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status, prompting some European nations to offer increased research grants to attract talent.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he has revoked the visas of hundreds, possibly thousands, of individuals—including students—who participated in activities considered contrary to U.S. foreign policy priorities.
Officials from the Trump administration have indicated that student visa and green card holders can face deportation for expressing support for Palestinians or criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza, labeling such actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy and accusing participants of being pro-Hamas.
A Tufts University student from Turkey was detained for over six weeks in Louisiana after co-authoring an opinion piece critical of her school’s response to Israel’s war in Gaza. She was released after a federal judge granted her bail.
Critics of the Trump administration have described these actions as an attack on free speech rights protected under the First Amendment.
