FIRST ON FOX: The State Department revoked more than 100,000 foreign visas in 2025, more than twice that of 2024 in the final year of President Joe Biden’s administration.
The figure is an all-time record, and follows on President Donald Trump’s day one executive order on foreign vetting. In 2024, the department revoked 40,000 visas.
The majority of the revocations were for business and tourist travelers who overstayed their visas.
But some 8,000 students and 2,500 specialized workers also lost their legal status. A department spokesperson said a majority of the students and workers who lost their visas had criminal encounters with law enforcement.
TRUMP STATE DEPARTMENT ORDERS GLOBAL VISA CRACKDOWN UNDER REVIVED ‘PUBLIC CHARGE’ RULE
Among specialized workers, half of the revocations were based on drunken driving arrests, 30% for assault, battery or confinement charges, and the remaining 20% were revoked for theft, child abuse, substance abuse and distribution, and fraud and embezzlement charges.
Nearly 500 students lost visas for drug possession and distribution and hundreds of foreign workers lost visas because they were believed to be abusing children, according to a department spokesperson.
In August 2025, the Trump administration announced it was reviewing all 55 million foreigners who have valid U.S. visas.
State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Piggott added that the administration would continue its aggressive enforcement posture through its new “continuous vetting center.”
“The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security,” he said.
The department also has enforced stricter standards for obtaining U.S. visas.
In November 2025, Fox News Digital first reported the department would enforce a “public charge” rule, denying visas to applicants deemed likely to rely on public benefits. That included health reasons — putting older and overweight people under greater scrutiny — English competency, finances or other potential needs for long-term care.
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