The United States has announced an unprecedented review of more than 55 million visa records to determine whether foreign nationals have violated the terms of their entry or stay.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed that all visa holders will now be subject to “continuous vetting”, meaning their activities inside and outside the country will be monitored for possible breaches.
Officials said visas may be revoked if holders are found to have overstayed, engaged in criminal activity, posed threats to public safety, or shown links to terrorism or organizations that support it.
The move underscores President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on immigration in his second term, which has included mass deportations, travel bans affecting nearly 20 countries, and the revocation of thousands of student visas.
As part of the expanded checks, applicants and current visa holders will also face scrutiny of their social media activity. Authorities will look for expressions of hostility toward American citizens, culture, institutions, or values.
Consular officers have additionally been directed to identify individuals connected to foreign terrorist groups, national security threats, or those involved in antisemitic harassment or violence.
“America’s benefits should not be extended to those who despise this country or promote anti-American ideologies,” said Matthew Tragesser, spokesperson for US Citizenship and Immigration Services, emphasizing that the agency is committed to “rooting out anti-Americanism.”
The announcement comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared a halt to issuing worker visas for foreign truck drivers, arguing that the influx of overseas labor in the sector was “undercutting American truckers and endangering lives on U.S. roads.”
Since Trump returned to power in January, U.S. authorities have arrested several foreign students participating in demonstrations on university campuses against Israel’s war in Gaza, a conflict strongly backed by Washington.
The administration has also introduced steep financial hurdles for some travelers. Citizens of Malawi and Zambia, for example, must now pay a $15,000 bond before being issued a U.S. tourist or business visa.
Earlier this year, Washington expanded its travel ban to cover 12 nations and imposed partial restrictions on seven others. In May, it gained legal clearance to strip temporary status from more than half a million migrants, while Trump has pledged to go further by ending birthright citizenship.
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