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The State Department has revoked about 80,000 nonimmigrant visas in 2025, more than double last year’s total, citing offenses that range from driving under the influence to national security concerns.
A senior State Department official told the Washington Examiner that the most common reasons for revocations this year have been “assault, theft, and driving under the influence.”
Tommy Pigott, the department’s principal deputy spokesman, said Wednesday that the Trump administration “will not hesitate to revoke visas from foreigners who undermine our laws or threaten our national security.”
“Our message is clear: Entry to America is a privilege, not a right, and we will always put the safety and interests of the American people first,” he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made tougher enforcement of visa rules a central priority. The department has focused on removing foreign nationals who commit crimes in the United States or show signs that they may pose a threat.
About 16,000 visas were revoked because of DUI incidents, according to internal figures reviewed by the Washington Examiner. Roughly 12,000 were pulled over assault cases, and another 8,000 for theft. “These three crimes accounted for almost half of revocations this year,” a senior State Department official said.
The official added that the department revokes a visa “any time there is an indication of a potential ineligibility, which includes things like indicators of an overstay, criminal activity, a threat to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity, or providing support to a terrorist organization.”
Of the 80,000 revoked visas, approximately 8,000 involved foreign students, reflecting a 2,000 increase in student visa cancellations since August.
The administration has also targeted foreign nationals enrolled at U.S. universities who publicly express support for Hamas or anti-American sentiments. Last month, the department released case studies describing visa cancellations tied to comments made after the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk in September.
Foreign nationals from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay and South Africa were among those who lost their visas over public remarks that mocked or celebrated Kirk’s killing.
Officials called such comments a violation of U.S. hospitality, according to the report. “The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans,” the department said. “Aliens who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”