U.S. Revokes Visas of 80,000 Nigerians and Other Foreign Nationals
WASHINGTON — Approximately 80,000 non-immigrant visas have been revoked across the United States since the Trump administration assumed office on January 20, according to a senior State Department official who confirmed the scale of the action on Wednesday. The revocations stem from a wide range of offenses, including driving under the influence, assault, and theft — part of a sweeping immigration clampdown that has intensified since Donald Trump took office.
PulseNets learnt that the figure, first highlighted by the Washington Examiner, underscores a far-reaching visa crackdown that has resulted in the deportation of thousands of migrants, some of whom originally entered the country with valid documentation. The administration has simultaneously toughened its visa issuance protocols, introducing more rigorous social-media vetting and expanded security screening for applicants.
According to information obtained by PulseNets, roughly 16,000 of the revoked visas were connected to DUI-related offences, another 12,000 were tied to assault cases, while about 8,000 were linked to theft.
A senior State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed the scale of the trend, noting that “these three crimes accounted for almost half of this year’s revocations.”
In August, the State Department disclosed that it had cancelled more than 6,000 student visas for overstays and other legal violations, including what officials described as a limited number of cases involving “support for terrorism.”
Officials further revealed last month that at least six individuals also had their visas revoked over social-media comments relating to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier stated in May that he had personally approved the revocation of “hundreds, possibly thousands” of visas — including student visas — citing activities that he argued were contrary to the United States’ foreign-policy priorities.
Internal directives reviewed this year instructed American diplomats worldwide to maintain heightened scrutiny toward applicants deemed potentially hostile to U.S. interests, particularly individuals with a record of political activism.
Also Read: Wole Soyinka: US Embassy Clarifies Visa Revocation — Says “Visas Are Privileges, Not Rights”
PulseNets obtained additional insights indicating that Trump-era officials have repeatedly warned that even legally residing students and green-card holders could face removal from the United States over their public support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Authorities have described such positions as threats to U.S. foreign-policy objectives, often framing them as pro-Hamas sentiment.
