Travellers to US face public social media checks as visa cancellations top 300k

The United States has revoked more than 300,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the State Department announced on Tuesday. The figure shows how far the administration's immigration enforcement push has reached, and it comes alongside wider screening of foreign nationals seeking to enter the country.

Key facts

• More than 300,000 visas revoked since January 2025
• Previous totals: more than 175,000 in August and 250,000 in late September
• At least 4,000 cases linked to birth tourism and 6,000 involving foreign students
• More than 700 visas held by Chinese nationals revoked since August
• Expanded social media screening began 1 October

Why are visas being cancelled?

Mora Namdar, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, announced the total on X and warned visa holders that breaking the law could cost them the right to travel to the United States. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the cancellations target foreign nationals involved in illegal activities, fraud or conduct considered a threat to national security.

The administration has cited criminal offences, violations of visa conditions, immigration fraud and threats to public safety or national security as grounds for revoking visas. White House figures released on Tuesday include at least 4,000 cases linked to birth tourism and 6,000 involving foreign students who committed crimes or had ties to terrorism.

The administration also reported that more than 700 visas held by Chinese nationals had been revoked by its Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force since that initiative launched in August. The State Department has not released a full breakdown of the more than 300,000 revocations by nationality or visa category.

Who faces expanded social media screening?

The State Department announced in September that it would expand online presence reviews from 1 October to cover additional nonimmigrant visa categories, including foreign media representatives and certain professionals from Canada and Mexico.

Applicants for I visas, used by foreign media representatives, and TN and TD visas, covering certain professionals and their dependents under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, must set their social media profiles to public or open. Online screening already applies to international students, temporary workers, exchange visitors and certain religious workers.

Officials say these checks help determine whether applicants pose national security or public safety risks and whether they intend to comply with visa conditions.

What this means for travellers

Visa holders in the United States risk losing their permission to travel to the country if they break the law, according to the State Department. Applicants in the categories named above should be aware that their online presence may be reviewed and that social media profiles must be set to public or open.

Rights advocates have questioned whether national security justifications are being used to target critics, and have warned that expanded screening could lead to racial profiling and heightened scrutiny of immigrant communities. The administration maintains its approach is intended to protect public safety and enforce immigration laws.

Cases cited by the administration include visa cancellations involving foreign nationals who took part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and foreigners whose social media comments about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk drew scrutiny. No further changes to the screening rules have been announced.