WASHIGNTON: The United States has revoked 85, 000 visas across multiple categories this year, a senior State Department official said, describing the action as part of an intensified effort to protect American communities and enforce public-safety standards.
“We’ve revoked 85, 000 visas of all categories, including more than 8, 000 students, which is more than double the numbers the year before, ” said a State Department official in response to a question.
“Some of the top reasons why we revoked the visas were DUIs, assaults, and theft, which together account for almost half of the revocations in the past year. These are people who pose a direct threat to our communities’ safety, and we do not want to have them in our country, ” said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official said the administration’s visa-vetting posture remains stringent, particularly for applicants from high-risk environments. On Afghanistan, the official said: “I think this administration has always had concerns with the security in Afghanistan [following the withdrawal] and making sure that we can appropriately vet and validate that visa applicants won’t be a threat.”
Reiterating that security checks will not be rushed, the official added: “We will take as much time as it takes, and we will not issue a visa until we are sure the applicant does not pose a threat to Americans’ safety and security.”
The official was also asked whether participating in fact-checking or content-moderation efforts — including work for social-media or civil-society organizations — could be grounds for a visa denial under the Trump administration’s recently established policies.