WASHINGTON, Sketsa.id – The Trump administration has announced a sweeping policy to re-examine all 55 million holders of U.S. visas for potential violations, a move that could lead to mass revocations and deportations. The policy, first reported by The Associated Press on Thursday, August 21, 2025, targets individuals for reasons including overstaying their visa, being deemed a public safety threat, or providing support to terrorist organizations.

Officials from the State Department, which oversees visas, have not provided precise definitions for what constitutes a “threat” or how support for terrorist groups will be assessed. This lack of clarity has drawn criticism from advocates who question if the policy could be used to curb freedom of expression, a right protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

If a visa holder is found in violation of the terms, their visa will be revoked. Those inside the U.S. will face deportation, while those abroad with multiple-entry visas will be barred from returning.

The logistical details of notifying individuals of the decision or the timeframe for voluntary departure remain unclear. The policy follows a pattern of aggressive enforcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has sometimes involved sudden and forceful arrests, creating anxiety within immigrant communities.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, cited by the AP, there are fewer than 13 million green card holders (permanent residents) and 3.6 million people with temporary visas inside the country. The remainder of the 55 million are visa holders residing abroad.

In a statement that broadens the policy’s scope, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asserted he considers green card holders—who are one step away from citizenship—to be “guests” in the U.S. in the same way tourists are.

The review process will be extensive. “We review all available information as part of our screening, including any law enforcement or immigration records or other information that comes to light after the visa issuance that indicates potential ineligibility,” the department told the AP via email.

The policy is bolstered by new guidelines from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued earlier this month. These guidelines state that marriage to a U.S. citizen is no longer considered an automatic path to a green card. All immigrants must now demonstrate “good moral character” and must not have any history of “anti-American” activities—terms that, again, are not explicitly defined, though the agency alluded to “anti-Semitism” and “communism” as examples of such behavior.

To manage the immense task of reviewing millions of cases, the government is expected to employ specialized artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Civil liberties advocates have warned that reliance on automated systems significantly increases the risk of errors and due process violations within the immigration system.(*)