The United States has placed more than 55 million people with U.S. visas under a new system of “continuous vetting” to determine whether they have violated entry or residency conditions.
A State Department spokesperson told the Associated Press that visas will be revoked immediately if authorities find evidence of:
- Criminal activity,
- Threats to public safety,
- Involvement in terrorist activities, or
- Support for a terrorist organization.
As part of this expanded monitoring, U.S. officials will also review social media activity, looking for signs of hostility toward American citizens, culture, government, institutions, or values.
Since Donald Trump took office in January, the policy has already had visible effects:
- Dozens of foreign students have been arrested on U.S. campuses for participating in protests against the war in Gaza.
- Nationals from 12 countries have been banned from entering, with partial restrictions on citizens of seven others.
- In May, the Trump administration also allowed the temporary revocation of legal status for over 500,000 immigrants living in the U.S.
This marks one of the strictest visa monitoring systems ever introduced, significantly expanding the scope of U.S. immigration control.
