In 2025, the U.S. canceled more than 6,000 student visas, heralding a new hardline approach to immigration under the Trump administration.
This action, which was verified by the State Department, is a part of a broader initiative that resulted in 40,000 total visa revocations compared to the 16,000 of the previous administration.
The policy aims at international students due to legal infractions, as well as campus activism, which is controversial and has led to concerns about academic freedom and economic consequences.
Why Are Visas Being Revoked?
Most revocations—around 4,000 to 6,000—involve legal or administrative issues, including:
- Criminal Offenses: Assault, DUI, or burglary, with about 800 students charged with assault alone.
- Visa Overstays: Staying beyond permitted periods, often due to academic delays.
- Visa Condition Violations: Unauthorized work or dropping below a full course load.
Approximately 200-300 cases are based on the charge of support of terrorism under the Immigration and Nationality Act, frequently in connection with pro-Palestinian campus activism over the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Posts on social media or even attendance at a rally have caused people to come under scrutiny with the example of a Turkish student at Tufts being arrested over an opinion piece highlighting the dangers.
Enforcement Mechanisms
The crackdown relies on new tools:
- Social Media Vetting: Since April 2025, F-1/J-1 visa applicants must open social media profiles to AI-driven reviews, flagging critical posts.
- SEVIS Terminations: Over 4,700 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System records were terminated, disrupting students’ legal status.
- “Catch and Revoke” Program: Launched in March, it uses AI to identify “problematic” students, with 300 revocations by late March.
Impacts on Students and Universities
According to NAFSA, the number of international students is more than 1.1 million and their annual contribution is 43.8 billion dollars, which sustains 368,000 jobs. It is estimated that a 15 percent decline in enrollment would cost $7 billion with states such as California and New York being affected the most. Research schools, in which foreign students predominate in STEM PhDs, are at risk of losing innovation to Canada or Europe.
Students are under the risk of being deported and some are detained following minor or dropped charges. Colleges such as Harvard and UC Berkeley are reporting chilled activism and misunderstanding of SEVIS terminations. More than 65 suits are being filed against revocations on the basis of due process.
In Summary
The policy has been criticized as an overreach by critics, such as the ACLU, who say it is aimed at free speech. The legal issues can change the enforcement, and students should remain alert. Government websites such as DHS and State Department update. The position of the U.S. as a leading study destination is at stake.
