The US State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked 6,000 student visas since Secretary of State Marco Rubio assumed office seven months ago.
Rubio, who has openly embraced the move, has been exercising an obscure legal authority that permits him to cancel visas for individuals deemed to undermine US foreign policy interests.
The decision, which has drawn praise from President Donald Trump’s right-wing supporters, comes alongside broader administration efforts to deport individuals living illegally in the country.
“The State Department has revoked over 6,000 student visas for overstays and law violations, the vast majority being assault, DUI, burglary and support for terrorism,” a department official stated. The official clarified that around 4,000 of the cases were linked to criminal offenses, though no breakdown by nationality was provided.
Rubio has been especially vocal about scrutinizing Chinese students, promising a tough stance. In March, he told reporters that he revoked visas on a daily basis, declaring: “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas.” His focus has particularly fallen on students protesting against Israel, with Rubio accusing some activists of anti-Semitism allegations they reject.
The administration has, however, faced setbacks in prominent cases. Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent US resident and pro-Palestinian protest leader at Columbia University, was released by a judge in June. Khalil, who became a father while in detention, has since filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of attempting to “terrorize” him.
Similarly, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, was freed in May after a judge intervened. Ozturk, who had authored a campus newspaper article critical of Israel, was reportedly detained by masked plainclothes agents on a Massachusetts street.
Despite criticism, Rubio insists the administration has the power to issue and revoke visas without judicial review, maintaining that foreign nationals are not entitled to US constitutional protections, including free speech.
What you should know
Since Marco Rubio became Secretary of State, the US has revoked 6,000 student visas under laws tied to foreign policy interests and alleged criminal violations.
While many were linked to offenses such as DUI and assault, Rubio has drawn attention for targeting student activists critical of Israel, sparking legal challenges. Judges have freed individuals like Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk, raising concerns about constitutional rights for non-citizens.
Rubio argues that free speech protections do not extend to foreign nationals, positioning his policies as a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda.
