“The Trump administration plans to review all 55 million foreigners holding US visas.” The Washington Post reported on the 21st that if any violations are found, the related foreigners may face visa cancellation or deportation. This move significantly expands the scope of the US government’s current actions. The action, originally aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants in the United States, now extends to reviewing legally entered individuals, including those with tourist, work, or student visas. “In Florida, (foreigners) overstaying their visas is a big problem, and it’s good to see the government addressing it.” “Nobody should go to the United States for at least ten years, unfortunately, restaurants and other places will suffer.” “Does the staff of the State Department not have anything more meaningful to do?” Commentators from different countries hold various views on the latest US move. US President Trump has adopted a tough immigration and border control policy since returning to the White House, which has been controversial and has had an impact. According to a report by The New York Times on the 21st, a data analysis report released by the Pew Research Center on the same day showed that for the first time in decades, the number of outbound immigrants in the United States exceeded the number of incoming immigrants.
The Associated Press quoted a written response from the US State Department on the 21st, stating that all holders of US visas will undergo “continuous review,” and if any signs indicating they no longer meet visa qualifications are found, their visas will be revoked. If they are in the United States, they may face deportation. The State Department said that signs of not meeting visa qualifications include overstaying their visas, committing crimes, posing a threat to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activities, or providing support to terrorist organizations.
According to a report by The Washington Post, in the 2024 fiscal year, the US State Department issued nearly 11 million temporary visas, of which about 77% were for business activities and tourism, and about 7% were issued to students, visiting scholars, and their families. The Associated Press quoted data from the US Department of Homeland Security, stating that there were 12.8 million green card holders and 3.6 million temporary visa holders in the United States last year.
In the comments section of The Washington Post’s related report, a British netizen said, “I know many people in the UK who used to enjoy traveling in the United States and thought they were friends with America, but now they no longer see it as an ideal vacation destination.”
Who would take the risk of being denied entry or detained simply because a message in their phone disagrees with the US government? Another netizen living in the US mentioned that he usually gets together with university friends from Japan and Malaysia every five years, but this year, his friends have refused to come to the US.
The latest move in the US has also attracted widespread attention in India. According to a report by the Times of India on the 22nd, it is estimated that about 5 million Indian citizens hold valid non-immigrant US visas, and at least 1 million of them are currently in the US. In the comments section of related reports, some Indian netizens support the US government’s actions, while others are critical, saying “Indians will bear the consequences again” and “The reason the US can make progress is because there are excellent foreign talents there.”
“It is likely to be time-consuming and complex.” The Washington Post quoted US officials as saying that the process of reviewing visa holders could be time-consuming and complex. According to the Associated Press, Gerard, an expert from the Migration Policy Institute, believes that the number of 55 million means that some people currently holding multiple entry tourist visas outside the US will need to be reviewed. She questioned whether it is worthwhile to allocate resources to those who may not return to the US.
Foreign students have become a focus of attention for this US government. Multiple US media outlets have quoted US officials as saying that more than 6,000 student visas have been revoked this year, with 200 to 300 students revoked due to “terrorism” issues. The Washington Post said that the US State Department has also introduced new measures involving student visas, such as reviewing social media accounts that hold hostility and “anti-Semitism” towards the US. “We are collecting more information than ever,” said a senior US State Department official. Bill, an immigration policy expert at the Cato Institute in Washington,怀疑此类审查将歧视性地针对具有特定背景的或“他们想找借口撤销签证的人群”。
It is reported that the US State Department stated in a statement that the number of visas revoked this year under Trump’s promise to “protect national security and public safety” is more than twice the same period last year, and the number of student visas revoked is about four times last year. It is reported that the current government is trying to revoke the visas of campus protesters who opposed the war in Gaza.
“The immigrant population is decreasing”
According to a report by the New York Times on the 21st, the current US government is implementing comprehensive measures to reduce immigration. It has restricted asylum applications at the southern border, imposed stricter visa requirements on foreign students and skilled workers, and deployed thousands of federal agents to detain and deport illegal immigrants.
The Washington Post reported on the 22nd a new phenomenon that has emerged recently in the District of Columbia: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are working together with local police in traffic checks and are detaining an increasing number of delivery personnel riding motorcycles. Most of these personnel are illegal overstayers from Central and South America. Videos of such arrests have quickly spread on social media, leading many delivery personnel to refrain from accepting orders today.
In addition, US media reported that US Secretary of State Rubio announced on the 21st that work visas will be suspended for commercial truck drivers. A fatal accident occurred recently when a truck attempted to make an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway. The truck driver was reported to be an Indian national illegally residing in the United States.
Data analysis released by the Pew Research Center on the 21st shows that after more than 50 years of rapid growth, the immigrant population in the United States is decreasing. In January, 53.3 million immigrants lived in the United States, but in the following months, the number of immigrants leaving or being deported exceeded the number arriving. In June, 51.9 million immigrants lived in the United States. The New York Times said US officials expressed appreciation for this trend, saying it has eased pressure on government services and the job market has recovered. However, experts believe that if this trend continues, it could have negative impacts on the US economy and population. “If you use reducing immigrant flow as a way to hit the labor market hard, we will all see the consequences in our daily lives,” said Miles, a professor of demography at the University of Southern California. Economist Watson from the Brookings Institution believes that these measures could undermine the United States’ competitiveness in global talent.