US revokes 6,000 student visas in crackdown over overstays, security

More than 6,000 student visas have been revoked since January, with new rules, arrests at campus protests, and stricter reviews threatening Indian students' futures

More than 6,000 student visas have been revoked by the US State Department since January as the Trump administration intensifies action against international students and other immigrants, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

 

A State Department spokesperson said around two-thirds of the cancellations were linked to overstays and alleged law violations, including assault, drink driving and burglary. Between 200 and 300 visas were revoked for “support for terrorism” under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which blocks foreign nationals deemed likely to engage in “terrorist activities.”

 

Focus on protests and campus activity

 

The administration has been targeting students with legal status but without citizenship who took part in pro-Palestinian protests, including those who set up encampments on college campuses.

 

Former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk were among those arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officials cited President Trump’s executive orders on antisemitism during Khalil’s arrest.

 

Investigations have extended to others accused of supporting Palestine, drawing criticism from student groups and civil rights organisations.

 

Pressure on Harvard University

 

Foreign-born students have also been caught in the government’s dispute with Harvard University. Officials have demanded changes to diversity and inclusion practices and hiring policies. As pressure escalates, the administration has threatened to block the university from enrolling international students and to suspend federal research funding. A deal between Harvard and the government is reportedly under discussion.

 

Technical measures against students

 

Other steps have directly affected students:

 

< In April, immigration records of thousands of international students were erased due to minor or dismissed infractions. The move briefly left them without legal status until a reversal later that month following public pressure and court intervention.

< In June, the State Department required new visa applicants to make social media accounts public for review of “hostile attitudes towards our citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.”

 

“A US visa is a privilege, not a right,” the June announcement said. “Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests.”

 

New fixed-term visa proposal

 

The Department of Homeland Security has also advanced a proposal to impose a strict end date on student visas, regardless of programme length. The measure has cleared White House review and will move to public comment before being implemented.

 

Indian students, the largest international group in US universities with more than 420,000 enrolled in 2024, could be heavily affected. Many are in multi-year courses such as PhDs, master’s programmes or integrated degrees.

 

“For thousands of international students, especially from India, this could mean a shift in how they plan their academic journeys,” said Ritesh Jain, co-founder of LaunchEd Global.

 

“For students in PhDs, combined bachelor’s–master’s degrees, or integrated courses that span four to seven years, a fixed-term visa could add uncertainty. Instead of being assured of staying until the programme ends, students might have to apply for extensions midway – introducing stress at a critical stage in their academic work,” said Jain.

 

Dr Hitesh Bhatia, professor at Navrachana University, Vadodara, said research programmes would feel the brunt. “This could disrupt research timelines, delay graduation, and limit opportunities for students—particularly from countries like India—seeking advanced degrees in applied sciences, engineering, technology, and data analytics.”

 

Strain on Indian applicants

 

Visa appointment delays have compounded the uncertainty. “Right now, everything is a mess. Slots open at random times, and they’re gone in seconds,” said Kajal Dave, co-founder of LaunchEd, told Business Standard.

 

She pointed to the financial risk. “We’re talking about ₹10–30 lakh in tuition, another lakh or two for housing deposits, and at least ₹75,000 on flights. If they can’t make it on time and the college won’t let them defer, that’s potentially ₹12–35 lakh down the drain.”

 

Mamta Shekhawat, founder of Gradding.com, said the issue cuts across the country. “Slots are either booked in seconds or unavailable. This is not just a few isolated cases. It’s affecting students regardless of their location or the university they plan to attend.”

 

Impact on universities and local economies

 

Universities and states have also raised concerns over the financial impact of the crackdown.

 

Kent Hill, principal research economist at Arizona State University’s Seidman Research Institute, said: “Our international students pay a lot of tuition, which in turn helps ASU pay its faculty and staff and pay for all kinds of other operating expenses, from classroom and laboratory equipment to landscaping services and electric power.”

 

In 2023–24, ASU’s 12,403 international students contributed \$360 million in tuition, covering 12 per cent of operating expenses. Hill’s analysis estimated the wider economic impact at \$467 million in Arizona’s GDP and 4,557 jobs.

 

Beyond tuition, international students spend on housing, food, entertainment and everyday living, feeding into local economies and making their absence felt well beyond campuses.