‘We will deport these thugs’: Rubio’s State Department revokes 100,000+ visas in 2025, putting Biden’s numbers to shame

The Trump administration has intensified its efforts to enhance vetting of foreign nationals entering the U.S., resulting in a record number of visa revocations.

The Department of State announced that in 2025, it revoked over 100,000 foreign visas, including 8,000 student visas and 2,500 specialized worker visas. That figure is more than double the number of visas that were revoked in 2024 — 40,000 — under former President Joe Biden’s leadership.

‘The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security.’

Foreign nationals whose visas were canceled included those who had encounters with U.S. law enforcement for criminal activity, the State Department reported.

“We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe,” the department stated.

The majority of those revoked by the State Department were for business and tourist travelers who overstayed their visas, Fox News Digital reported.

Some students and specialized workers who had their visas revoked also reportedly lost their legal status.

RELATED: Trump admin to vet all visa holders — revoke and deport threats to America

Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Half of the specialized workers whose visas were revoked had previously been arrested for drunk driving; 30% for assault, battery, or confinement charges; and 20% for theft, child abuse, substance abuse and distribution, and fraud and embezzlement charges.

A department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that nearly 500 students lost their visas for charges related to drug possession and distribution.

The State Department announced in August plans to review all of the more than 55 million current visa holders to uncover potential ineligibility, such as overstays, criminal activity, public safety threats, and ties to terrorism.

RELATED: Trump strips 4,000 student visas over first 100 days — 90% flagged for ‘serious’ crimes

Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

“The Trump administration will continue to put America first and protect our nation from foreign nationals who pose a risk to public safety or national security,” State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Piggott told Fox News Digital.

During a press conference last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the administration’s increased efforts to revoke and deport foreign nationals.

“Who you allow to visit your country should reflect the national interest. We said that from the very beginning,” Rubio told reporters.

“There are some times we’ll deny people visas because of activities they’ve undertaken overseas,” he continued. “Other times it’s people that have visas but are in the United States doing things that run counter to our national interests. And the law gives us the right — and, in fact, I would argue, the obligation — to remove people like that from our country.”

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