Anti-American Speech on Social Media Considered in Residency Applications; Over 6,000 Student Visas Revoked
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that when reviewing applicants' eligibility for U.S. residency, it will expand its scrutiny to include whether individuals express "anti-American" views on social media. The agency has been actively denying or revoking visas for those deemed to act against U.S. foreign policy interests. As part of a broader tightening of student visa policies, more than 6,000 international student visas have been revoked since the beginning of 2025.
According to a statement from USCIS, the privilege of living and working in the United States is not a right, but a benefit that should not be extended to those who promote anti-American ideologies. Therefore, social media screening has been added to the vetting process, with a broader scope to detect potential support for terrorism or threats to national security. While "support for terrorism" is not specifically defined, the criteria now include whether the applicant holds anti-American views or promotes **anti-Semitic ideologies**.
International students have also become key targets in the crackdown on immigration. Reports indicate that over 6,000 international student visas have been revoked so far in 2025, primarily due to overstaying, legal violations, or suspected support of terrorism. Among these, approximately 4,000 students lost their visas due to legal offenses such as assault, drunk driving, robbery, arson, domestic violence, human trafficking, and child endangerment. Around 300 students were flagged for participating in pro-Palestinian protests or raising funds for Hamas, actions considered indicative of anti-Semitic tendencies or support for terrorism.
The Trump administration has emphasized that visa revocations help prevent terrorism supporters from entering the U.S. under the guise of being students, thereby safeguarding national security. Under the administration’s strict visa policies, a total of about 40,000 visas have been revoked in 2025 alone, with student visas making up a large portion. In July, fewer than 79,000 student visa holders entered the U.S., marking a 28% decline.
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