US State Department revokes 6,000 student visas

The State Department has revoked more than 6,000 international student visas because of violations of US law and overstays, the department told the BBC.

The agency said the "vast majority" of the violations were assault, driving under the influence (DUI), burglary and "support for terrorism".

The move comes as the Trump administration continues its crackdown on immigration and international students.

While the State Department did not specify what they meant by "support for terrorism", the Trump administration has targeted some students who have protested in support of Palestine, arguing they had expressed antisemitic behaviour.

Of the 6,000 student visas that were revoked, the State Department said about 4,000 of those were revoked because visitors broke the law.

Another 200-300 visas were also revoked for "terrorism done under INA 3B", the State Department said, referring to code that defines "terrorist activity" broadly as acts that endanger human life or violate US law.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration paused scheduling visa appointments for international students. In June, when they restarted appointments, they announced they would ask all applicants to make their social media accounts public for enhanced screening.

They said they would search for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States".

State Department officers were also instructed to screen for those "who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence".

But where are they supposed to go to find a good toga party?
A food fight? Some good drugs?

Seven years of college down the drain.

Back to mom’s basement, the video games and the Dorritos.
Oh, well.

Years ago I met a Palestinian guy who was managing a Holiday Inn out in California. He told me about his nephew, who came to the US on a student visa. The kid went to Houston and found a place to live and bought a used car. After a couple of weeks, he decided he didn't like that car so he put it up for sale. Well, he was able to sell it for a few hundred more than he paid for it. The kid thinks, who needs college… he was going to buy and sell cars. He lived here for years, never went to school, and was selling cars out of his driveway making good money.

That's what our immigration system had turned into.

Just last week I was waiting for a friend’s fight to arrive at Logan airport in Boston and I got talking to a young woman from Red China who was on a student visa. We got into a debate about Taiwan independence. I was in favor...she was piggishly opposed. If I had gotten her name and school I would have contacted ICE and urged that she be deported.

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