More than 300,000 US visas revoked in Trump's second term, with the pace picking up in recent weeks
The administration of US President Donald Trump has revoked more than 300,000 visas during his second term. The US State Department said on Tuesday that the step was taken as part of the federal government's sweeping immigration crackdown, the British news agency Reuters reported.
According to the State Department, the rate of visa revocations has risen further in recent weeks. An update published on 10 August had said that more than 175,000 visas had been revoked since Trump's current term began in January 2025. In other words, the figure has nearly doubled within just a few months.
Trump maintains that the aim of the anti-immigration campaign and the deportation drive is to strengthen America's internal security. In the administration's telling, those being targeted are people who have broken the law or pose a security risk.
Human rights activists, however, tell a very different story. They allege that the campaign is violating due process and freedom of expression. Concern has grown especially among racial minorities, who fear that people are being marked as suspects on the basis of their racial identity.
Announcing the latest revocation figures on the social media platform X, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the Trump administration had revoked more visas, faster, than any administration in history. He added that a 'zero tolerance' policy is being followed against any foreign national in the United States on a visa who breaks the law, commits fraud, or undermines national security.
Among the revocations that rights activists have condemned most strongly are those of pro-Palestinian foreign protesters, who faced action for joining protests against the attacks on Gaza by America's ally Israel.
The revocation of several foreigners' visas for commenting on social media about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has also drawn criticism. Many see such cases as an assault on freedom of expression.
Alongside deporting foreign protesters, the Trump administration has also tightened scrutiny of the social media activity of immigrants and visa applicants. As a result, applicants face extra vetting both when applying for a new visa and when staying in the United States on an existing one.
Although Trump promised in his 2024 election campaign to stop illegal immigration, his administration has at the same time made legal immigration harder as well — for example, by imposing expensive fees for certain work visas.
For students, professionals and tourists from countries including Bangladesh, the situation has created fresh uncertainty. With revocations rising at this pace, all eyes are now on whether the crackdown widens further in the days ahead.
