The United States Department of State has started reviewing all issued visas for potential deportable violations and cancellations. The review of the visas shall be conducted on all the 55 million visas that have been issued by the United States under a continuous vetting program.
Any visas that have been issued will be immediately canceled based on overstays, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity, or providing support to a terrorist organizations.
This review comes hot on the heels of revelations that the United States has already canceled visas that had been issued to 6,000 students. At the same time, the review will be done in addition to the additional vetting that visa applicants are currently being subjected to.
“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 State Department said.
I got ‘Blue Paper’ when my US visa was approved, then hours later got ‘Yellow Paper’
Currently, all prospective students and visitors to the United States must undergo social media vetting with consular officials tasked with looking for any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States prior to granting visas.
“America’s benefits should not be given to those who despise the country and promote anti-American ideologies,” said Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
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According to the Department of Homeland Security, as at the end of year 2024, there were 12.8 million green-card holders and 3.6 million people in the U.S. on temporary visas.
