55 million US visa holders face scrutiny as Trump administration steps up immigration crackdown

US President Donald Trump

The Trump administration on Thursday said it is reviewing more than 55 million US visa holders for any violations that could end up in deportation – marking a major expansion of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The move, first reported by Associated Press, would involve a review of all active US visa holders to identify any violations. The state department said all US visa holders, which can include tourists from many countries, are subject to “continuous vetting” to identify grounds for ineligibility – including overstays, threats to public safety, criminal activity or links to terrorism.

In case of any violations, the visa will be revoked and if the individual is in the United States – he/she would be subject to deportation.

President Trump's administration has focused on deporting illegal migrants and people with student and exchange visas since he took office in January. New language from the state department indicates that its ongoing, time-intensive vetting process has expanded. This could mean that even those with approved visas might have them suddenly revoked.

There were 12.8 million green-card holders and 3.6 million people in the US on temporary visas last year, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“We review all available information as part of our vetting, including law enforcement or immigration records or any other information that comes to light after visa issuance indicating a potential ineligibility,” the department said, according to the Associated Press report.

The US also will stop issuing worker visas for commercial truck drivers, secretary of state Marco Rubio said Thursday on social media platform X. He said that the change was effective immediately.

“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Trump's administration has also said it will assess applicants for US work, study and immigration visas for "anti-Americanism" and count any such finding against them. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a "policy alert" dated Tuesday that it gave immigration officers new guidance on how to exercise discretion in cases where foreign applicants "support or promote anti-American ideologies or activities" as well as "antisemitic terrorism."

"Anti-American activity will be an overwhelmingly negative factor in any discretionary analysis," US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said.

"America's benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies," said USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser.

He added that the immigration agency was "committed to implementing policies and procedures that root out anti-Americanism and supporting the enforcement of rigorous screening and vetting measures to the fullest extent possible."

"Immigration benefits-including to live and work in the United States-remain a privilege, not a right," he added.

While US authorities have not clearly defined the term "anti-Americanism," they have stated it encompasses support for “antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organisations, and antisemitic ideologies.”