US revokes 175,000 visas as immigration enforcement widens

WASHINGTON (MNTV) — The U.S. State Department has revoked more than 175,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office, far above the previous administration’s rate, in what officials describe as a crackdown on foreign nationals accused of visa violations, crimes, or national-security concerns.

The department revoked about 40,000 visas in 2024, compared with more than 100,000 in 2025 and over 10,000 a month in 2026. 

But it has not provided a breakdown showing how many cases involve serious crimes versus lesser violations or political expression — grouping them together, critics say, gives the administration wide discretion while limiting scrutiny.

Some cases have directly involved political speech. 

Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish doctoral student, had her visa revoked and was detained after co-authoring an opinion article criticizing her university’s stance on the Gaza genocide; a judge later dismissed the case and she returned to Türkiye. 

The department has also cited revocations tied to foreign nationals who commented on the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. 

Consular officials have meanwhile been told to scrutinize applicants’ social media, which advocates warn could affect journalists, activists, and members of persecuted minorities.

The department says its vetting system reviews roughly 55 million visa holders and removes those no longer eligible, stressing that a visa is “a privilege, not a right.” 

Revocation is separate from deportation, handled by Homeland Security, which says more than 605,000 people have been removed since Trump took office. 

Without clearer data, advocates argue, the headline figure reveals less about any security threat than about the expanding reach of executive discretion over who may remain in the country.