Adrian
The U.S. State Department has revoked the visas of 4,000 foreign students, with 90% of them having serious criminal records, during the first 100 days of President DONALD TRUMP‘s second term, a senior State Department official confirmed to Fox News Digital.
“Our visa system has lacked oversight and accountability,” the official stated. Over the past 100 days, the Trump administration has worked to address these issues, implementing a more rigorous vetting process to ensure that individuals entering the U.S. as visitors comply with the law.
SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO has led the State Department in adopting a “surgical vetting approach” to ensure that those in the U.S. as visitors are abiding by the law, a source revealed. “We established an action working group, which has resulted in thousands of visas being revoked because these individuals broke our law. This is what effective governance looks like,” the source added.
The serious crimes committed by these individuals include arson, wildlife and human trafficking, child endangerment, domestic abuse, driving under the influence, and robbery, according to the New York Post, which first reported the numbers. More than 500 of the affected students had criminal assault records.
“They came and were breaking the law with no consequences,” a source told the Post. “We set up a special action team to handle this.”
A State Department spokesperson, when contacted by Fox News Digital, stated that the department revokes visas daily to secure America’s borders and protect communities. “Because the process is ongoing, the number of revocations is dynamic,” the spokesperson explained, noting that the department generally does not provide statistics on visa revocations.
The Trump administration is focused on protecting the nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through the visa process, the spokesperson continued. “Every prospective traveler to the United States undergoes interagency security vetting. Prohibiting entry to the United States by those who might pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety is key to protecting U.S. citizens at home.”
The State Department is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for aliens in the U.S. who violate U.S. law, threaten public safety, or engage in other activities that warrant action.
The State Department coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security, using their databases to cross-check student visa holders’ information with existing law enforcement records, according to the Post. Officials stated that the State Department is only revoking visas for international students who have committed serious crimes.
“There were cases where it was not a serious matter, such as littering or charges that were dropped, where we did not revoke those visas,” a source told the Post. “It should be a serious matter.”
The affected students, primarily from Asia and the Middle East, have either left the country voluntarily or will soon be deported by immigration agents, the Post reported.
In recent weeks, hundreds of visas have been revoked for international students linked to anti-Israel protests, according to the State Department. This wave of visa revocations is part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to address foreign student visa holders who lead on-campus protests against Israel.
SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO has previously stated that visas should be granted to students who wish to study and earn a degree. “If you come into the United States as a visitor and create a ruckus, we don’t want it,” Rubio said. He specifically mentioned student visa holders who come to the U.S. and engage in activities such as vandalizing a library or taking over a campus.
“When we identify individuals like these, we take away their student visas,” Rubio said during an April 10 Cabinet meeting. “No one is entitled to a student visa. The press often covers student visas as if they are a birthright, but they are not. A student visa is like an invitation into our home. If you come into my home and cause trouble, I will ask you to leave. That is what we are doing with our country, thanks to the President.”
Source: [Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com), [New York Post](https://www.nypost.com)
