US revokes over 100,000 visas in 2025, a 150% jump from last year, amid tighter immigration enforcement.
Student and work visas affected, with revocations linked to overstays, criminal offences and DUI cases.
Indians face rising scrutiny, with deportations and student visa cancellations climbing sharply.
The United States has revoked more than 100,000 visas in 2025, marking a record-high level of cancellations as the administration intensifies its crackdown on immigration, the US State Department said on Monday. The figure represents a 150% increase from 2024, underscoring the scale of enforcement under tighter immigration controls.
The surge in visa revocations coincides with a broader crackdown that has also led to a rise in deportations, according to a Moneycontrol report.
1 January 2026
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“The State Department has now revoked over 100,000 visas, including some 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialised visas for individuals who had encounters with US law enforcement for criminal activity,” the department said in a post on social media platform X. “We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe,” it added.
State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the most common reasons for visa cancellations included overstays, driving under the influence (DUI), assault, and theft. Specialised visa categories such as H-1B, L-1B, and O-1 were also affected, with nearly half of these revocations linked to drink-driving arrests, the report said.
For comparison, nearly 40,000 visas were revoked in 2024, according to Fox News.
“All foreign nationals on American soil must comply with our laws, and the visas of those who pose a threat to American citizens are swiftly revoked,” Pigott said. The department has also launched a Continuous Vetting Centre to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of visa compliance.
Separately, administration officials have warned that student visa holders and green card holders could face deportation for supporting Palestinians or criticising Israel’s conduct in Gaza, alleging that such actions threaten US foreign policy interests.
Indians have been among the most affected by the stricter immigration regime. The US deported 3,155 Indians in 2025 as of November 21, up sharply from 1,368 in 2024 and 617 in 2023.
In addition, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) terminated 4,736 SEVIS records, while the State Department revoked more than 300 student visas since January 2025, highlighting growing scrutiny of Indian students and professionals in the US.
