• The Trump administration has announced a review of over 55 million US visa holders for potential immigration violations.
• Continuous vetting includes assessments of criminal activity, public safety threats, and social media scrutiny.
• More than 6,000 student visas have been revoked since January, with many linked to alleged support for terrorism.
• The administration is implementing stricter entry protocols, including disallowing visas for commercial truck drivers.
• Indian students and those involved in pro-Palestinian protests are under heightened scrutiny.

The US State Department has confirmed it's conducting a comprehensive review of all 55 million visa holders in a bid to identify any violations that may lead to visa revocation or deportation. This initiative, characterized as "continuous vetting," covers a wide array of visa types, including those for tourism, studies, and work, focusing on potential indicators of ineligibility such as overstays or links to criminal activity, according to Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.

As per the Department’s standards, any findings of ineligibility can result in immediate visa revocation, with deportation implications for those already in the U.S. The criteria for this vetting process includes criminal history, potential threats to public safety, and any form of support to terrorist organizations, as specified in reports from India Times and LA Times.

The State Department noted that since the Trump administration took office, there has been an uptick in visa revocations, particularly among students; over 6,000 student visas have reportedly been rescinded due to infractions that range from overstaying to accusations of supporting terrorist activities. Of those, around 4,000 were linked to confirmed legal violations, according to India Times and Al Jazeera.

The administration's crackdown extends to tighter scrutiny on commercial truck drivers, as immigration officials will halt the issuance of new work visas for this category, citing safety concerns. The Secretary of State explained that foreign drivers pose serious risks on American roads, corroborated by findings in BBC and Africanews.

With this intensified review process, Indian students—who form a significant portion of the international student body—find themselves under close examination. They may become targets of preemptive screening based on their social media activity and historical affiliations, reflecting a shift in immigration enforcement strategies as highlighted by reports from Newsweek and India Times.