The U.S. State Department has revoked visas for over 6000 international students. This decision was made due to their violations of the country's laws and exceeding the visa validity period. This was reported by BBC.
According to officials, most violations were related to aggression, driving under the influence, theft, and "supporting terrorism." However, it was not clarified what exactly was meant by "supporting terrorism." Previously, the Trump administration had also accused students protesting Palestine support of anti-Semitism.
Of the revoked visas, about 4000 were canceled for various violations, and another 200–300 were revoked due to "terrorist activity" accusations under the "INA 3B" clause. This code defines actions threatening human life or violating U.S. laws as terrorism.
The Trump administration also tightened the visa process for international students. In early 2024, student visa issuance was temporarily suspended, and from June onwards, applicants were required to open their social media accounts. They are then subjected to additional screening to identify signs of hostility towards U.S. citizens, culture, government, or fundamental principles.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement to Congress in May, mentioned that "thousands of visas have been revoked" since January. According to him, the government will continue to expel students disrupting order in educational institutions.
However, Democratic lawmakers criticized these measures, calling them "an attack on the legal process" regarding international students.
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