The administration of United States President Donald Trump has revoked more than 300,000 visas since he began his second term in January 2025, according to the US State Department.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott disclosed the figure on Tuesday, saying the administration had accelerated visa revocations as part of its wider immigration enforcement drive.
In a statement posted on X, Pigott said the Trump administration “has revoked more than 300,000 visas at a faster pace than any administration in history.”
He added that the government maintained “zero tolerance for foreigners here on visas who break the law, commit fraud, or undermine our national security.”
The latest figure marks a significant increase from the more than 175,000 visa revocations reported by the State Department in an update issued on August 10.
Trump has defended his administration’s immigration policies, arguing that tougher enforcement and deportations are necessary to strengthen domestic security.
However, rights advocates have criticised the measures, saying they threaten due process and free speech protections while increasing uncertainty for immigrants, particularly ethnic minorities.
Pro-Palestinian protesters among affected groups
Some visa revocations that have attracted criticism involved foreign nationals who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The administration has also faced scrutiny over actions against foreign nationals following social media comments about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Critics have questioned whether some enforcement decisions improperly target people for expressing political opinions.
Beyond visa cancellations and deportations, the Trump administration has introduced tighter social media screening measures for immigrants and visa applicants.
Rights advocates have also accused the government of using national security concerns to justify broader scrutiny of immigrant communities, including Somali Americans in Minnesota, citing individual cases of alleged fraud.
Trump administration tightens immigration rules
Although Trump campaigned in 2024 on a pledge to curb illegal immigration, his administration has also introduced measures affecting legal immigration.
These include higher fees for certain work visas and expanded scrutiny of visa applicants’ backgrounds and online activity.
The administration says its policies are intended to enforce immigration laws and protect national security. Critics argue that some measures risk restricting civil liberties and making legal immigration more difficult.
The latest visa revocation figures highlight the scale of the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and the continuing debate over national security, freedom of expression and the rights of foreign nationals in the United States.