International students, green card holders, and foreign workers are the target of the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Students’ visas are being revoked, their legal permission to be in the country is being cancelled, and even green card holders are being asked to give up their immigrant rights.

Here are ten red flags for foreign workers and international students as the Trump administration continues its crackdown.

1. Marco Rubio’s Warning

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that American visas are a ‘privilege, not a right’ amid the Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on international students.

In an opinion column Fox News, Rubio wrote, U.S. law lays out clear rules about who can and cannot come to the United States. The State Department’s consular officers are required to apply these rules to each of the millions of visa applicants around the world each year. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), foreigners who endorse or espouse terrorist activity or persuade others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization – such as Hamas – are ineligible for U.S. visas.

Rubio shared example where visas can be revoked – Visas may be revoked if the visa holder has engaged in violent crime or drunk driving, supporting terrorism, overstaying the time permitted for their visit, performing illegal work — or anything else that violates the terms on which we granted them this privilege or compromises the safety of our fellow Americans.

2. Student Visa Revoked

International students studying in America are feeling the heat as their student visas are being revoked. The government has intensified its crackdown on international students, revoked entry visas, and terminated their residency status without prior notice.

The revoked student visa cancels their legal status in the US, increasing the risk of deportation. Previously, visas were not immediately canceled, but under the new administration, statuses are being revoked within hours.

Before revoking visas, the immigration authorities do not inform universities, but they remove the record from the SEVIS system. SEVIS is a web-based system for maintaining information on nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors in the United States.

Every international student should get in touch with the university and ask them to proactively check the SEVIS system for updates on student visa revocation. Students are informed through email if their visa is revoked. Visa revocations can be initiated due to past or minor offenses, including drunk driving.

3. US F-1 visa Denial Rate Soars

US has rejected a record number of international student visas as denial rates soar. US student visa denials reached a ten-year high in the past fiscal year, with 41% of applications denied, nearly double the 2014 rejection rate. In 2023-24, the US received a total of 6.79 lakh applications for F-1 student visas, with 2.79 lakh (41%) denied. This represents an increase from 2022-23, when 2.53 lakh applications (36%) of a total of 6.99 lakh were rejected.

4. Post Study Work to End

The Trump administration is threatening to end Optional Practical Training (OPT), allowing international students to stay in the country for up to three years after graduation.

The United States is a popular study destination for international students due to its programs, like Optional and Curricular Practical Training, which offer temporary work opportunities post-graduation.

Jessica Vaughan, a policy specialist, submitted a report to Congress urging harsher immigration policies, including possible elimination or stricter control of OPT, as they were never officially approved by Congress.

Also, US lawmakers have introduced a bill in Congress titled ‘Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act of 2025’ to end the Optional Practical Training Program. The Optional Practical Training Program, administered by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, is set to be terminated if passed by Congress.

5. H-1B Visa and F-1 Visa Revocations

Recent visa cancellations by the Trump administration pose a threat to international student enrollment and long-term international hiring, which is essential for US universities and businesses.

There are significant connections between the F-1 and H-1B visas. To study in the US, international students must apply for an F-1 visa. Once their studies are over, they must apply for an H-1B visa to work for US companies.

American businesses will be impacted if students’ status is terminated and make them instantly unemployed while they are in the US.

6. Travel Warnings

US immigration authorities have issued a warning to Indian nationals, including H-1B workers, international students, and Green Card holders, against traveling outside the country. US officials are targeting elderly Indian Green Card holders who spend winter months in India, following previous orders to force them to voluntarily give up residency at American airports.

7. Watching Social Account Activities

‘Big Brother is watching you’, a famous phrase from George Orwell’s novel 1984, seems to be back. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed diplomats abroad to carefully review the social media posts of certain applicants for student and other sorts of visas, according to U.S. officials.

8. Green Card Holders

Spouses of US citizens and green card holders are now facing tougher scrutiny during green card interviews. Both adjustment-of-status interviews within the United States and consular interviews for spouses living abroad are increasingly vetted for more in-depth questioning, according to immigration lawyers. Officers are especially concerned with confirming the relationship’s legitimacy, including how the pair met and their future plans together.

9. Drop Box Applications

The US State Department has amended its visa interview waiver guidelines, also known as ‘dropbox’ applications. Previously, non-immigrant visa holders could renew their visas without an interview if their previous visa expired within the last 48 months. That period has now been lowered to 12 months for individuals renewing the same category visa. This shift results in more in-person interviews, which causes visa stamping delays.

H-1B holders seeking an extension if their prior visa expired more than a year ago, as well as F-1 student visa holders switching to H-1B work visas, have been most affected by the new regulations.

These individuals used to be able to renew their visas without going through an interview. They now have to make an in-person appointment, which lengthens, complicates, and increases the likelihood of delays in the procedure.

10. Immigration Ombudsman Office Closed

The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman, ( CIS Ombudsman) which has assisted thousands of immigrants in resolving issues with their visa and green card applications, has essentially been shut down as a result of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) placing employees on administrative leave.

H-1B visa holders sought assistance from the Ombudsman when they experienced delays that jeopardized their legal status. International students who were having trouble obtaining Optional Practical Training (OPT) extensions turned to the Ombudsman for assistance. Even for the green card holders who faced delays due to complicated background check issues or processing errors got help from the Ombudsman.

The CIS Ombudsman acted as a liaison between the public and USCIS, assisting individuals and employers in resolving issues, holding public engagements, and identifying immigration system issues, while also making recommendations to address these problems. Now, international students, green card holders, and those with H-1B visas are at sea.