The United States Department of State has revoked the visas of more than 80,000 individuals — including Nigerians and nationals from several other countries as part of a sweeping immigration enforcement campaign under President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a statement released on Thursday, the department described the move as part of Trump’s commitment to strengthen America’s borders and uphold national security.
Labelled “Promises Made, Promises Kept,” the statement emphasized that the mass revocations aligned with the administration’s broader national security strategy.
According to official data from 2024, most of the cancellations were linked to three major offenses: driving under the influence (DUI), assault, and theft.
Breakdown of visa revocations:
16,000 for DUI
12,000 for assault
8,000 for theft
Other reasons cited include suspected ties to terrorism or extremist groups, threats to public safety, and violations of visa terms.
A senior State Department official, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, revealed that these three offenses alone accounted for nearly half of all visa cancellations this year.
The measure is part of a broader immigration overhaul initiated during Trump’s tenure, which introduced tougher screening procedures and expanded background checks. U.S. consular officers were directed to review applicants’ social media activity, political affiliations, and online behaviour as part of the vetting process.
The crackdown also coincided with a surge in deportations and stricter enforcement of overstays and visa violations.
In August, the department confirmed that more than 6,000 student visas had been revoked for offenses such as overstaying, academic fraud, and legal infractions with a small number linked to terrorism-related concerns.
Authorities also revealed that the government 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 stated in May that hundreds, and possibly thousands, of visas had been cancelled for actions “deemed hostile to American foreign policy interests.”
Rubio added that U.S. diplomats worldwide had been instructed to carefully screen applicants for any anti-American sentiment or political activism that could threaten U.S. national objectives.
Officials further warned that green card and visa holders could face deportation for public expressions of support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, noting that such statements could be interpreted as sympathy for Hamas.