Sola Adeniji|M10news|US News|22 August 2025
The United States has begun reviewing the records of more than 55 million visa holders as part of an unprecedented security crackdown aimed at identifying breaches of entry and residency conditions.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that individuals holding valid US visas will now be subjected to “continuous vetting,” meaning their activities will be regularly monitored after entry.
Officials said visas would be revoked if evidence emerges of overstaying permitted time, committing crimes, posing threats to public safety, engaging in terrorist activity, or providing support to extremist organisations.
The initiative marks the latest in a string of hardline immigration measures introduced under President Donald Trump’s second administration, which has placed border security and deportations at the centre of domestic policy.
Since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump has ordered mass deportations, reintroduced full-scale travel bans on certain countries, and revoked more than 6,000 student visas.
The new framework also extends to those applying for entry. Prospective students and visitors will undergo social media vetting, with officials tasked to identify signs of hostility toward American citizens, institutions, culture, or founding principles.
In internal guidance, consular officers were told to be alert to individuals suspected of supporting or assisting designated terrorist groups, as well as those involved in antisemitic violence or harassment.
Matthew Tragesser, spokesperson for US Citizenship and Immigration Services, defended the policy, arguing that immigration privileges should be reserved for those who respect the United States.
“America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies,” Mr Tragesser said in a statement. “We remain committed to implementing policies that root out anti-Americanism.”
The announcement follows a decision by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately suspend the issuance of worker visas for foreign truck drivers.
“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Mr Rubio wrote on social media platform X.
The crackdown comes as tensions escalate on US university campuses, where several foreign students have been arrested in recent months for joining protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, a conflict firmly backed by Washington.
In a separate measure earlier this summer, the US introduced a requirement for citizens of Malawi and Zambia to pay a refundable $15,000 bond when applying for business or tourist visas.
The administration has also banned foreign nationals from 12 countries from entering the US, while placing partial travel restrictions on another seven.
In May, the government was granted temporary powers to revoke the legal status of more than 500,000 migrants residing in the country, fuelling concerns among advocacy groups about due process and mass displacement.
Mr Trump has further vowed to abolish birthright citizenship, a constitutional principle that automatically grants nationality to anyone born on US soil, intensifying debate over the future of immigration in America.
M10News Politics Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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