Sounding a note of caution to immigrants, including H-IB and Green Card holders, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that US visas are a privilege and not a right, while pledging strict enforcement of visa laws under the Donald Trump administration.
Rubio reaffirmed a tough stance on America’s visa policy and asserted that entry into the United States is reserved for those who demonstrate respect for American laws and values, reinforcing Washington’s commitment to stricter immigration standards.
His statement in an interview to a US private television channel came amid a nationwide crackdown on pro-Palestine protests, particularly on college campuses, where foreign students have come under scrutiny for alleged “antisemitic behaviour” and participation in disruptive demonstrations following the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. “US visas are a privilege, rather than a right, reserved for those who make the United States better, not seek to destroy it from the inside,” Rubio said in the interview.
Furthermore, Rubio asserted that visa holders must continually meet eligibility standards, and that the State Department, working alongside DHS and other security agencies, actively reviews and revokes visas if violations are found. “The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) gives us broad authority to revoke a visa. This authority is fundamental to safeguarding our national security,” he said, adding that US laws are clear about who can and cannot come to the United States.
Each visa application is vetted through those rules and people who “endorse or espouse terrorist activity or persuade others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity” are ineligible for US visas, The Secretary of State said.
Rubio pointed to some incidents of unrest on American college campuses last year. The United States is home to over 1.1 million foreign students, many of whom attend prestigious universities.
“These foreigners shut down college campuses for American citizens, harassed Jewish students, blocked highways, and stormed buildings,” Rubio remarked, pledging that the Trump administration will take decisive steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
The US official also clarified that constitutional protections do not extend to foreign nationals when it comes to visa violations. “The Supreme Court has made it clear for decades that visa holders or other aliens cannot use the First Amendment to shield otherwise impermissible actions taken to support designated foreign terrorist organisations,” he explained.
