The United States has cancelled more than 6,000 international student visas, citing violations of law, overstays and alleged links to terrorism, the State Department has confirmed.

According to the department, the majority of those affected had been involved in crimes such as assault, burglary and driving under the influence, while hundreds of others were flagged over what officials described as “support for terrorism”.

The announcement comes as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on immigration and international students.

Although the department did not specify what it meant by “support for terrorism”, the administration has previously gone after students who participated in protests backing Palestine, claiming some engaged in antisemitic behaviour.

Out of the total cancellations, about 4,000 visas were revoked for direct breaches of US law. Another 200 to 300 were terminated under “terrorism done under INA 3B”, a provision that broadly defines terrorist activity as acts that endanger human life or violate US law.

Earlier this year, visa appointments for international students were briefly suspended. When the process resumed in June, applicants were required to make their social media accounts public to allow for enhanced vetting.

Officials said they were looking for “any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States”.

State Department officers were also directed to flag individuals “who advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists and other threats to national security; or who perpetrate unlawful anti-Semitic harassment or violence”.

In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that “thousands” of student visas had already been rescinded. “I don't know the latest count, but we probably have more to do,” Rubio said.

“We're going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities.”

The move has faced criticism from Democrats, who argue that revoking visas without adequate process amounts to an attack on student rights.

According to Open Doors, more than 1.1 million international students from over 210 countries were enrolled in US colleges during the 2023–24 academic year.