As part of a sweeping immigration enforcement initiative under President Donald Trump’s administration, the United States Department of State on Thursday announced that it has revoked the visas of at least 80,000 individuals, including Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
The large-scale visa revocations mark one of the most extensive enforcement actions undertaken by the U.S. State Department in recent years, underscoring the administration’s aggressive approach to immigration and national security.
The department, which made this disclosure through a statement released on Thursday, said the action was in line with Trump’s commitment to protecting U.S. national interests and security – a move it described as “promises made, promises kept.”
According to the department, the revocations were based on various offenses, including assault, theft, and driving under the influence (DUI). Data from 2024 shows that 16,000 individuals lost their visas due to DUI-related offenses, 12,000 for assault, and 8,000 for theft.
Additional reasons included links to terrorism, extremist activity, public safety risks, and violations of visa conditions.
Recall that last August, the State Department confirmed that more than 6,000 student visas were revoked over legal violations and overstays, with a small number linked to terrorism-related activities. The department also said it had revoked the visas of at least six individuals for social media posts concerning the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Recall also that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed in May that hundreds – possibly thousands – of visas had been revoked for actions deemed contrary to U.S. foreign policy priorities. He added that the administration had instructed diplomats abroad to scrutinize applicants for potential anti-American sentiment or political activism that could threaten U.S. interests.
