The Trump administration has revoked a record number of visas while the Department of Homeland Security rolled out new rules requiring advance notice for congressional oversight visits to ICE facilities.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Trump administration has revoked more than 100,000 visas since returning to the White House less than a year ago, marking a record pace of enforcement as federal agencies move simultaneously to tighten immigration controls and oversight procedures.
State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Monday in a post on X that the figure includes visas revoked from “thousands of foreign nationals charged or convicted with crimes — including assault, theft, and driving under the influence.” Pigott added that the revocations reflect a broader effort to enforce existing immigration laws.
According to reporting by Newsweek, the number of visas revoked in the past year is more than double the total revoked under President Joe Biden in 2024, making it the highest annual figure on record.
The State Department said most of the revocations involved foreign visitors who overstayed business or tourist visas. The total also includes nearly 500 student visas revoked due to drug possession or distribution offenses.
Officials described the revocation campaign as part of the administration’s aggressive overhaul of the immigration system during President Donald Trump’s second term, with an emphasis on enforcement, compliance, and public safety.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security has issued new guidance requiring members of Congress to provide at least seven days’ notice before conducting oversight visits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. The change follows heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and a recent fatal shooting during an ICE operation in Minneapolis.
A memo issued Thursday by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem directs lawmakers to submit visit requests during normal business hours to ICE’s Office of Congressional Relations. Requests must include the proposed date, location, duration, and the names and titles of all participants, and participation is limited to lawmakers and confirmed congressional staff.
The policy follows a Dec. 17 ruling in Neguse v. ICE, in which a federal judge in Washington, D.C., stayed DHS’s prior guidance after finding it inconsistent with Section 527(b) of DHS appropriations law. That provision bars the department from using appropriated funds to prevent lawmakers and certain congressional employees from entering facilities used to detain or house noncitizens for oversight purposes.
The court also found that the law applies to ICE field offices and holding facilities, according to DHS. While the new memo states the department disagrees with the ruling, it argues that a separate funding stream is not subject to Section 527’s restrictions.
Specifically, the memo says funds derived from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are not covered by Section 527 and instructs ICE to implement and enforce the advance-notice policy exclusively using that funding source. DHS directed that all time and resources connected to the policy be logged and paid for from those funds.
DHS justified the new notice requirement by citing security and operational concerns, stating that unannounced visits can divert ICE personnel from enforcement duties. The memo also argued that some recent oversight visits have devolved into “circus-like publicity stunts” that create “a chaotic environment with heightened emotions.”
The policy change comes shortly after an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Good during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Federal officials, including Noem, have described the shooting as self-defense. Local officials have disputed that account, citing video they say appears to show Good driving away from officers at the time she was shot. Minnesota authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the incident.
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