The United States Department of State has revoked the visas of more than 80,000 individuals, including Nigerians and nationals of several other countries, as part of a wide-ranging immigration enforcement drive under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The development, announced in a statement on Thursday, was described by the State Department as a fulfilment of Trump’s pledge to tighten America’s borders and prioritise national security.
The department tagged the move “promises made, promises kept,” stressing that the revocations were consistent with the administration’s national security strategy.
According to official data from 2024, the bulk of the revocations were tied to three major offenses: assault, theft and driving under the influence (DUI).
The breakdown shows:
16,000 visas revoked for DUI
12,000 for assault
8,000 for theft
The department added that other grounds included terrorism-related links, extremist activity, public safety risks, and violations of visa conditions.
According to Vanguard, a senior State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the three leading offences accounted for nearly half of all visa cancellations recorded this year.
The measure forms part of a sweeping immigration overhaul launched during Trump’s tenure, which tightened visa screening protocols and expanded vetting measures.
Under the programme, U.S. consular officers began conducting extensive background checks on applicants’ social media histories, political affiliations and online behaviour.
The crackdown also coincided with a rise in deportations and stricter enforcement of overstays and visa violations.
In August, the department confirmed that more than 6,000 student visas were cancelled for various infractions, including overstaying, academic fraud, and legal violations.
Officials noted that a small number of those cases involved terrorism-related concerns.
The government also revoked visas belonging to at least six individuals over social media posts referencing the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, disclosed in May that hundreds, possibly thousands, of visas had been revoked for actions deemed hostile to American foreign policy interests.
Rubio said diplomats worldwide had been directed to scrutinise applicants for signs of anti-American sentiment or political activism that might pose a threat to U.S. national objectives.
Officials further cautioned that green card and visa holders could face deportation for public expressions of support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel amid the escalating Gaza conflict, saying such statements could be interpreted as sympathy for Hamas.
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