US revokes 6,000 student visas over ‘law violations, terrorism support’

The State Department has revoked more than 6,000 international student visas over alleged violation of United States laws, overstays, and terrorism-related concerns.

According to the BBC, the department said the majority of the cases involved offences such as assault, driving under the influence (DUI), burglary, and “support for terrorism”.

About 4,000 of the cancelled visas were on account of general US law violations, while between 200 and 300 others were specifically withdrawn under section 3B of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which defines “terrorist activity” broadly as acts that endanger human life or violate American law.

The decision comes as part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s wider crackdown on immigration and student visas.

Although the State Department did not offer a clear definition of “support for terrorism”, the administration has recently targeted some international students who participated in pro-Palestine protests, accusing them of engaging in antisemitic behaviour.

The US resumed visa appointments for international students in June after a temporary suspension, but it directed applicants to make their social media accounts public for enhanced screening.

The State Department said the checks are aimed at identifying “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States”.

Marco Rubio, secretary of state, told lawmakers in May that the administration was determined to continue the crackdown.

He said thousands of student visas had already been rescinded since January, and more cancellations could follow.

Critics have described the revocations and tightened screening as an attack on due process.

According to Open Doors, an organisation that tracks foreign enrolments, more than 1.1 million international students from over 210 countries were enrolled in US colleges in the 2023/24 academic year.