The move is part of a tough campaign on immigration and international students under the Trump administration.
According to information provided by the US State Department, most cases of visa cancellation are related to violations such as assault, drunk driving (DUI), theft and "supporting terrorism".
About 4,000 of these visas were revoked directly because international students violated the law. 200 - 300 visas were canceled under the guise of INA 3B terrorism - a US legal provision that broadly defines terrorism, including acts that endanger life or violate federal law.
Notably, the US State Department said that some of the visa cancellations stemmed from allegations of supporting terrorism. The Trump administration has recently targeted a number of students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests, saying they are showing extreme anti-Chism.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the National Assembly in May that Thousands of study abroad visas have been canceled since January. We will continue to revoke visas of those who are considered guests but cause disruption to US higher education institutions, he stressed.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration temporarily suspended accepting student visa interview appointments. When resuming in June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would require all candidates to make their social media accounts public to serve the security check stage.
Consular officials are directed to carefully review cases of signs of hostility to the people, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States; as well as those considered supporting foreign terrorist organizations, threatening national security or practicing illegal anti-Chism.
The Democrats have criticized the move as an "attack on the rule of law," saying the Trump administration is tightening too much and lacking transparency in the process.
In the 2023 - 2024 school year, more than 1.1 million international students from more than 210 countries studyed at American colleges and universities, according to data from the Open Doors organization. The cancellation of thousands of visas not only directly affects the lives and learning of students, but also raises concerns about the international educational environment in the US.
