By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
In a sweeping immigration enforcement blitz under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. Department of State has revoked over 80,000 non-immigrant visas held by Nigerians and citizens from dozens of other countries, citing a litany of violations from common crimes to national security threats, the department announced Thursday.
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The revocations, described in an official statement as “promises made, promises kept” to prioritize American safety, target tourists, students, temporary workers, and others whose actions allegedly endangered public order or breached visa terms. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a May briefing, hinted at hundreds possibly thousands of such actions, but the scale now revealed marks one of the largest purges since the 2017 travel ban era.
A senior State Department official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the moves stem from enhanced vetting of social media, criminal records, and immigration databases, with Nigeria among the top affected nations due to high visa issuance volumes (over 300,000 annually pre-2025). “This isn’t random it’s data-driven enforcement,” the official said.
The department detailed a breakdown of reasons, with criminal acts accounting for nearly half. Key categories include:
Offense Category Visas Revoked (Est. 2025) Details
Driving Under Influence (DUI) 16,000 Repeat offenders; linked to 2024 data showing heightened scrutiny.
Assault 12,000 Physical violence convictions or charges.
Theft 8,000 Petty and grand larceny cases.
Terrorism/Extremist Links Undisclosed (small number) Support for designated groups; includes 6 for social media posts on Charlie Kirk assassination threats.
Overstays & Visa Violations 6,000+ (students alone) Academic fraud, illegal work; part of August student visa purge.
Public Safety/Political Risks Undisclosed Anti-Israel statements seen as Hamas sympathy; criticism of U.S. policy.
Total: 80,000+, with assaults, thefts, and DUIs comprising ~45%. The department emphasized that green card holders risk deportation for similar infractions, particularly amid the Gaza conflict.
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Nigeria, with its diaspora of over 400,000 in the U.S., faces disproportionate fallout. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimated thousands affected, urging citizens to “comply strictly” via a Friday advisory. “This is a wake-up call for our youth abroad respect the laws,” said Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar.
Affected Nigerians report shock: “I got a DUI ticket two years ago now my student visa’s gone,” lamented Lagos-based engineer Chinedu Okoro, now scrambling for alternatives.
The purge aligns with Trump’s “America First” reboot, including halted work permit renewals for immigrants and expanded social media scans. Rubio, in May, vowed: “Actions contrary to U.S. interests will cost you your visa.”
Human rights groups like Amnesty International decried it as “overreach,” warning of chilled free speech. The State Department countered: “National security trumps all.”
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As appeals flood U.S. embassies, Nigerians abroad brace for more scrutiny. The full list remains classified, but the message is clear: Violate, and you’re out.
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