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2h ago

U.S. Puts All 55 Million Visa Holders Under Continuous Review

The move expands a campus-focused re‑vetting drive into a stated continuous program.

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SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 6: People wait in line to get their passport applications submitted at the United States passport agency office July 6, 2007 in San Francisco, California. United States Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) toured the agency to try to find some solutions to the backlog of renewals and new passport applications. The State Department has ordered about 350 young diplomats and recently employed civil servants to help clear a crushing backlog of passport applications. The backlog has led to major processing delays and disrupted thousands of Americans' summer travel plans. (Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
Stock photograph showing passengers waiting in line to use the Automated Passport Control Kiosks set up for international travellers arriving at Miami International Airport on March 4, 2015 in Miami, Florida.

Overview

  • State Department officials said all valid visa holders are now subject to continuous vetting for ineligibility indicators such as overstays, criminal activity, public‑safety threats, terrorist activity or providing support to a terrorist group.
  • Visas flagged as ineligible will be revoked, and those inside the United States would become subject to deportation.
  • Reviews will examine social‑media activity along with law‑enforcement and immigration records from visa holders’ home countries.
  • Officials reported more than 6,000 student visas revoked since January, including roughly 4,000 for legal infractions and about 200–300 tied to terrorism‑related concerns.
  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an immediate pause on issuing work visas for commercial truck drivers.