New Delhi: The US State Department has revoked 6,000 student visas for alleged overstay and “support to terrorism”.
The majority of violations cited while revoking the visas included crimes such as assault, driving under the influence, burglary, and providing support for terrorism. Of the more than 6,000 visa revoked, approximately 4,000 were tied to criminal offenses.
“We’ve revoked over 6,000 student visas, including hundreds tied to criminal activity and terrorism,” a senior state department official said in a statement Monday, escalating the Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign students whose activities “go against U.S. foreign policy priorities.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed President Donald Trump’s stance on the whole issue, saying the government has revoked the visas of “hundreds, perhaps thousands” of individuals, including students, for such activities.
The state department has not disclosed which organisations the terrorism-related revocations were linked to, but officials emphasised that visa-holders need to “align with American values” or risk expulsion.
The visa revocations follow rising tensions between President Trump and major U.S. universities, which he has accused of fostering antisemitism amid widespread campus protests in support of Palestinian rights during the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Earlier in June, the U.S. Embassy in India issued an advisory for international students, instructing all applicants for student and exchange visas to make their social media profiles public with immediate effect stating that “every visa adjudication is a national security decision”.
In an earlier statement, the state department had said that obtaining a U.S. visa is “a privilege, not a right”, and that the vetting process continues even after a visa is issued. Authorities reserve the right to revoke visas if laws are broken.
“We use all available information in our screening and vetting procedures to assess whether an applicant is eligible to enter the U.S., including identifying any potential threats to national security,” the department said.
Over the past few weeks, the US embassy also issued statements on the U.S.’ stand on illegal immigration. In a post on X, the U.S. embassy in India stated Monday that “your authorized period of stay is the ‘Admit Until Date’ on your I-94, not your U.S. visa expiration date”.
It further added, “Staying in the United States beyond your authorized date is called an ‘overstay’ and could result in a visa revocation, possible deportation, and ineligibility for future visas”.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)