The US State Department has revoked more than 100,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office, underscoring the scale of his administration’s hardline immigration crackdown.

In a social media post on Monday, the department said the revocations included about 8,000 student visas and 2,500 visas for specialised workers.

It said most cases involved “encounters with US law enforcement for criminal activity”, though it did not specify whether those encounters led to formal charges or convictions.

The surge in visa cancellations reflects the broader enforcement push launched by Trump after his return to the White House.

The administration says it has overseen more than 2.5 million voluntary departures and deportations, describing the effort as a record-breaking success.

Some deportations, however, have involved people holding valid visas, prompting criticism from civil rights advocates who have raised concerns about due process and human rights.

Alongside stepped-up removals, the administration has tightened visa screening, expanding social media checks and increasing scrutiny of applicants and current visa holders.

State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the leading causes for revocations were overstays, driving under the influence, assault and theft, adding that the number of visa withdrawals marked a 150% increase from 2024.

The department has also launched a Continuous Vetting Centre, designed to monitor foreign nationals already in the United States and rapidly revoke visas from those deemed a threat.

US diplomats have been instructed to closely scrutinise applicants viewed as hostile to US interests or linked to political activism.

Trump campaigned in 2024 on a promise to carry out the “largest deportation programme of criminals in the history of America” and began his second term in January 2025.

Critics argue the administration’s approach has swept up non-criminals alongside those with serious offences, and that visa holders have been targeted for their political views.

In recent months, student protesters involved in pro-Palestinian activism have seen their visas revoked, including a Tufts University student who had written an opinion piece in a campus newspaper.

The administration has defended the policy, saying the United States has no obligation to host foreign nationals who threaten public safety or celebrate violence.

The crackdown has also drawn scrutiny over the use of force.

Last month, the fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman during heightened immigration enforcement sparked protests across the country, adding to tensions over the administration’s immigration strategy.