Reasons: Assault, Drunk Driving, and Terrorism Links
Total Visa Cancellations Reach 40,000
2.5 Times Higher Than During the Biden Administration
The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump has canceled more than 6,000 student visas this year, primarily due to assault, drunk driving, and links to terrorism. The total number of visa cancellations, including those for students, reached 40,000, which is 2.5 times higher than during the previous Biden administration.
According to Fox News in the U.S. and the BBC in the U.K. on August 18 (local time), the State Department announced that it has canceled a total of over 6,000 student visas this year due to violations of U.S. law and overstaying permitted periods. In April, the government announced the cancellation of about 1,000 student visas, and it is believed that such measures have continued up to the present.
The State Department explained that most violations involved assault, drunk driving, robbery, and providing support to terrorism. A senior State Department official told Fox News, "About 4,000 visas were canceled solely for legal violations such as assault and records of drunk driving while visitors were in the United States." The official added that about 800 students had their visas canceled due to assault, and these individuals were either arrested by U.S. authorities or faced prosecution on charges related to assault.
Visa cancellations due to protests and support for terrorism involved 200 to 300 people, according to the official, who said these individuals participated in activities such as fundraising for Hamas, the Palestinian militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.
However, CNN pointed out that there has been controversy over aggressive arrests by federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during this process. One prominent case involved Rumeysa Ozturk, a doctoral student at the prestigious Tufts University in Boston. CNN reported, "On March 25, numerous agents surrounded Ozturk near her home, causing her to scream in terror, and this scene was captured on video during her arrest," adding, "The incident sparked nationwide outrage."
The Trump administration suspended student visa interviews earlier this year but resumed them in June, and has required all visa applicants to submit their social media account information. The State Department canceled a total of about 40,000 visas this year, including those for students. This compares to 16,000 visas canceled during the same period under the previous Joe Biden administration.
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