Trump Administration Announces Review of 55 Million Foreign Visa Holders

President Donald J. Trump is intensifying his administration’s push to secure America’s borders and enforce immigration law — this time by targeting potential abuses in the legal visa system.

On Thursday, the White House announced a far-reaching directive ordering the U.S. State Department to conduct a comprehensive review of all 55 million foreign visa holders for possible violations, including visa overstays and other legal infractions.

“All U.S. visa holders … are subject to continuous vetting, with an eye toward any indication they could be ineligible for permission to enter or stay in the United States,” the State Department said.

“If such information is found, the visa will be revoked, and if the visa holder is in the United States, he or she would be subject to deportation,” the department added.

Officials say the review will look for “indicators of ineligibility,” ranging from overstays and criminal activity to threats to public safety and links to terrorism or terrorist organizations.

“We review all available information as part of our vetting, including law enforcement or immigration records or any other information that comes to light after visa issuance, indicating a potential ineligibility,” the department noted.

Social Media Vetting and Revocations Surge

The latest crackdown includes expanded social media checks, along with new requirements introduced earlier this year mandating that privacy switches on cellphones and apps be disabled during visa interviews. According to the State Department, the tougher standards have already yielded results.

“As part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to protect U.S. national security and public safety, since Inauguration Day, the State Department has revoked more than twice as many visas, including nearly four times as many student visas, as during the same time period last year,” the agency said.

Earlier this week, the department disclosed that since President Trump’s return to office, more than 6,000 student visas have been revoked for overstays and other violations — including crimes such as assault and driving under the influence. Between 200 and 300 of those revocations were related to terrorism concerns.

Foreign Truck Driver Visas Paused After Fatal Crash

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also announced Thursday that the U.S. will halt issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers pending a review of safety protocols. The move follows a tragic crash in Florida involving an illegal alien truck driver who made an illegal U-turn and killed three people. Authorities said the driver, who had traveled from California, could not read English road signs.

“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,” Rubio wrote on X.

Later Thursday, the State Department confirmed it was pausing all truck driver visa processing to review “screening and vetting protocols.”

“Ensuring that every driver on our roads meets the highest standards is important to protecting the livelihoods of American truckers and maintaining a secure, resilient supply chain,” the department said.

Immigrant Population in Decline for First Time in Decades

Most foreigners require visas to enter the United States, with limited exceptions for citizens of the 40 countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows short-term visits of up to 90 days. Nations outside that program — including China, India, Russia, Indonesia, and much of Africa — must obtain visas.

The visa crackdown comes amid a significant demographic shift. A new Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data shows that, for the first time in over half a century, America’s foreign-born population is shrinking.

Key findings as of June 2025:

• 51.9 million immigrants currently live in the U.S.
• 15.4% of U.S. residents are immigrants, down from the historic 15.8% high earlier this year.
• 19% of the U.S. labor force are immigrants, down from 20%, with over 750,000 foreign-born workers departing since January.
• The U.S. foreign-born population peaked at 53.3 million in January 2025, but by June it had declined by more than 1 million due to increased departures and deportations.

Officials confirmed that “continuous vetting” of all visa holders will remain in place for as long as visas are valid, with the possibility of revocation at any time if new security concerns arise.

President Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement — from the border to the visa system — underscores his administration’s commitment to protecting American sovereignty, safety, and jobs.