Trump Administration Announces Review

Trump Administration Tightens Visa Rules

The Trump White House is intensifying efforts to curb illegal immigration.

On Thursday, the State Department began a sweeping review of nearly 55 million visa holders to find violations such as overstays or ties to criminal activity.

“All U.S. visa holders … are subject to continuous vetting,” the department stated. If a person is found in violation, “the visa will be revoked, and if the visa holder is in the United States, he or she would be subject to deportation.”

Stricter Screening Measures

Visa holders are now being checked for criminal records, overstays, and even social media activity. Privacy settings on phones and apps must be disabled during visa interviews. “We review all available information… indicating a potential ineligibility,” said the State Department.

Since Trump’s return to office, over twice as many visas have been revoked compared to the same period last year — including nearly four times as many student visas. More than 6,000 student visas have been canceled, with 200–300 tied to terrorism concerns.

Ban on Foreign Truck Driver Visas

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause in issuing visas for commercial truck drivers following a fatal accident caused by a non-English-speaking driver. “The increasing number of foreign drivers… is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio posted on X.

U.S. Immigrant Population in Decline

According to Pew Research, the immigrant population is shrinking for the first time in decades. By June 2025, there were 51.9 million immigrants in the U.S., down from 53.3 million in January. Immigration now accounts for 15.4% of the population, a slight drop from the peak of 15.8%.