(The Hill) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday at least 300 foreign students have had their visas revoked amid the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, a far higher number than was previously known.
“Maybe more, it might be more than 300 at this point,” Rubio said at a press conference in Guyana when asked to confirm Axios reporting on the issue.
“We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa,” he added, saying he hopes it’s even more than that estimate.
“I hope at some point we run out because we have gotten rid of all of them, but we’re looking every day for these lunatics that are tearing things up.”
Axios was the first to report that 300 foreign students’ visas had been revoked and that administration officials are looking to block some colleges that have too many “pro-Hamas” foreign students from admitting any international individuals.
The Hill has reached out to the State Department for comment.
The number comes as multiple high-profile cases have come out of Columbia University, Tufts and the University of Alabama as the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian foreign students escalates.
On top of student visa holders, the Trump administration has gone after multiple permanent legal residents, such as Mahmoud Khalil, who has a green card.
