The United States government has warned that all 55 million foreigners holding visas to enter or stay in the country are now under constant review. This comes as part of a tougher immigration crackdown led by President Donald Trump.
A US State Department official explained that the government is always checking visa holders to make sure they are still allowed to stay. If they see any sign of problems—like overstaying visas, committing crimes, posing safety threats, or being linked to terrorism—their visas can be canceled immediately.
The official didn’t say every single visa is being actively checked right now, but made it clear that no visa is safe from scrutiny under this new policy.
One area the government is paying close attention to is student visas. Officials admitted they are closely watching foreign students, even checking their social media posts, which applicants are now required to share when applying.
Another big shift came from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has gone after people who protest against Israel. Using a little-known law, he has started canceling visas of people who he says oppose US foreign policy.
Since Rubio took office in January under Trump’s leadership, the State Department has already revoked 6,000 visas—four times higher than the number canceled under President Joe Biden in the same period a year earlier.
Rubio defended the crackdown, insisting the government has the power to cancel visas anytime without court approval, because non-US citizens don’t have the same rights as Americans, such as freedom of speech.
But not everything has gone smoothly for the administration. In two major cases, judges pushed back:
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Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent resident who joined pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, was released in June after a judge intervened.
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Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University who wrote a newspaper article critical of Israel, was also freed by a judge in May while her case continues.
The US government’s strict visa checks have already sparked anger, fear, and legal battles, especially for students and activists. With 55 million visas “fair game” for review, many foreigners in America now feel like their future could change at any moment.
