US Revokes 85,000 Visas in 2023: Strengthening Public Safety Through Enhanced Immigration Enforcement

The United States has revoked 85,000 visas across multiple categories this year, according to a senior State Department official. This action is part of an intensified effort to protect American communities and enforce public-safety standards.

"We've revoked 85,000 visas of all categories, including more than 8,000 students, which is more than double the numbers the year before," stated the State Department official in response to a question.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that "Some of the top reasons why we revoked the visas were DUIs, assaults, and theft, which together account for almost half of the revocations in the past year. These are people who pose a direct threat to our communities' safety, and we do not want to have them in our country."

Regarding the administration's visa-vetting procedures, the official emphasized that they remain stringent, particularly for applicants from high-risk environments. On the topic of Afghanistan, the official noted: "I think this administration has always had concerns with the security in Afghanistan [following the withdrawal] and making sure that we can appropriately vet and validate that visa applicants won't be a threat."

The official further stressed that security checks will not be rushed: "We will take as much time as it takes, and we will not issue a visa until we are sure the applicant does not pose a threat to Americans' safety and security."

When questioned whether participating in fact-checking or content-moderation efforts could be grounds for visa denial under the Trump administration's recently established policies, the official responded: "Freedom of speech is a fundamental American value, and the Trump Administration is defending Americans from foreigners who wish to censor them. That's why Secretary Rubio instituted in May a visa restriction targeting foreign nationals who censor Americans."

However, the official clarified that visa assessments consider multiple factors: "When determining whether an applicant qualifies for a visa, consular officers look not just at one single factor, but at the totality of an individual's circumstances, then they make a case-by-case determination regarding eligibility for a US visa."

This heightened scrutiny comes as the US continues to refine its immigration and vetting procedures following the 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan, which left thousands seeking resettlement or visas through special US programs. American officials consistently emphasize that all Afghan applicants must clear multilayered security checks—a process that has caused significant delays but remains essential to US national security policy.

The United States has historically adjusted visa and immigration policies in response to changes in global security conditions, including after major geopolitical events or administrative changes. While visa revocations for criminal conduct are not uncommon, large-scale actions like the 85,000 revocations cited this year highlight Washington's ongoing emphasis on public safety and homeland-security risk assessments across all visa categories.

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