According to a Reuters report published on October 21, 2026, the US government has revoked more than 3,00,000 visas since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
The State Department had reported more than 1,00,000 revocations by January 2026. The rate of revocations shot up in recent months, with more than 1,25,000 cancellations between August and October, an increase of over 300 per cent compared to the 1,75,000 cancellations in the first one and a half years since Trump’s return to power.
The Trump administration says the cancellations are part of its efforts to enforce immigration laws and address security risks. The move comes alongside tighter screening of visa applicants and has raised questions about its impact on foreign nationals who want to enter or remain in the United States.
The State Department has cited several reasons for cancelling visas, including criminal activity, public safety concerns, immigration violations, fraud and misrepresentation. A department official told Al Jazeera that more than 4,000 revocations involved foreign nationals accused of engaging in or facilitating birth tourism, travelling to the US to give birth.The department also identified assault-related offences, driving under the influence, theft and substance-related offences among the reasons for revocation.The administration has also expanded social media screening for visa applicants and immigrants, adding another layer of scrutiny to its immigration policies.
The changes matter to people planning to travel, study, or work in the US, as well as those who already hold visas. Applicants may face closer checks of their backgrounds and online activity, while existing visa holders risk cancellation if US authorities determine that they no longer qualify.For someone already in the country, the consequences depend on their immigration status and individual circumstances. Visa revocation does not, by itself, mean that every person affected will be immediately deported.The State Department's reported total does not break down revocations by nationality or visa category. It is therefore unclear how many Indian nationals have been affected.
The Trump administration has presented the policy as a matter of law enforcement and national security.
According to Reuters, the State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that the government had “zero tolerance for foreigners here on visas who break the law, commit fraud, or undermine our national security”.In a statement to Al Jazeera, the department added: “We are taking, and will continue to take, action to keep our borders, and our nation, secure.”These statements reflect the administration's position that foreign nationals must comply with US laws and continue to meet the conditions for holding a visa.
The crackdown has drawn criticism over cases involving foreign nationals who took part in pro-Palestinian protests or faced scrutiny over social media comments about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk's assassination.Reuters reported that rights advocates have questioned whether some of these actions threaten free speech and due process. Concerns have also been raised about potential discrimination and the use of national security grounds in cases involving political expression.The dispute highlights a wider tension in US immigration policy: the government's authority to enforce visa rules and protect national security, and the rights of foreign nationals affected by those decisions.
The 3,00,000-plus figure shows the scale of the administration's visa enforcement campaign, but it does not mean that all foreign nationals face the same circumstances or risk.For people planning to move to the US, the immediate concern is whether they meet visa requirements and provide accurate information in their applications. For those already there, the consequences of a revocation depend on their individual circumstances.The broader issue remains how the US enforces its immigration rules while ensuring that decisions affecting people's ability to live, work, or study in the country are made fairly.