The United States has revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals during President Donald Trump's second term, with the State Department citing criminal activity, immigration violations, fraud, calls for violence and national security concerns.

The State Department released the figure on Monday, outlining several categories of cases that resulted in visa revocations. Officials said the majority involved foreign nationals who came into contact with US law enforcement over alleged criminal activity.

The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to tighten immigration enforcement and review rules affecting foreign students, skilled workers and other non-citizens.

Criminal Cases Lead Revocations

According to the State Department, criminal offences accounted for the largest share of visa revocations.

Officials said cases involving assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related crimes were among the leading reasons.

Other cases involved allegations of reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud, embezzlement and other offences.

The department said visa holders can lose their visas when authorities determine that their continued presence or conduct does not meet US immigration or security requirements.

Foreign Policy Grounds Cited

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also determined that some foreign nationals are deportable on foreign-policy grounds, according to the department.

Among the cases highlighted by officials were foreign nationals allegedly connected to foreign government influence operations, individuals linked to the Iranian regime and people accused of making threats or supporting violence against US officials.

The department cited the case of a Kuwaiti national who allegedly expressed a desire for violence against the US president and referred to Americans as an enemy.

Officials also highlighted cases involving serious criminal allegations, including rape, kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors and child sexual abuse material.

Birth Tourism Cases Included

The State Department said a US embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas involving parents accused of travelling to the United States primarily to give birth so their children could obtain US citizenship.

Such cases were described by the department as involving so-called birth tourism.

The administration has increasingly focused on immigration practices that it argues exploit the US visa and immigration system.

Fraud and Financial Crimes

The list released by the State Department also included cases involving alleged financial fraud.

In one case, a foreign national accused of operating a healthcare business allegedly helped orchestrate a Medicaid fraud scheme involving more than $5 million in fake services.

Another case involved a foreign national accused of fabricating company revenue, misleading investors and using forged documents to obtain a US visa.

The department said these cases demonstrated that immigration enforcement also covers fraud committed in connection with obtaining or maintaining legal status.

Social Media and Violence

The State Department also cited cases involving foreign nationals accused of celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Officials included examples of individuals who allegedly posted comments online praising or expressing approval of his death.

The inclusion of such cases reflects the administration's broader approach of considering certain conduct, including statements and activities viewed as threats to public safety or national security, when reviewing visa eligibility.

State Department Defends Policy

The State Department said the Trump administration would continue identifying and revoking visas belonging to foreign nationals it considers threats to public safety.

Officials stressed that holding a US visa is a privilege rather than a permanent entitlement.

The department said it would continue using available enforcement mechanisms against people who violate US law or immigration requirements.

New Rules for International Students

The visa revocations come alongside broader immigration changes affecting foreign students and skilled workers.

A new Department of Homeland Security rule is expected to replace the existing duration-of-status system for F-1 international students with fixed periods of authorised stay, generally capped at four years.

The administration has also proposed reducing the post-study grace period from 60 days to 30 days.

The changes could affect students who need additional time to complete their programmes or transition into employment.

Rules would also place additional restrictions on changing academic programmes or fields of study, particularly at the graduate level.

Implications for Indian Students and Workers

The changes are likely to attract particular attention in India, which sends a large number of students to US universities and accounts for a significant share of H-1B skilled-worker recipients.

The administration is also considering changes to the grace period available to H-1B workers who lose their jobs.

Taken together, the visa enforcement campaign and proposed immigration changes indicate a broader tightening of US policy toward foreign nationals under Trump's second administration.

For international students, skilled workers and other visa holders, the developments could mean greater scrutiny and less flexibility in maintaining their immigration status in the United States.

 The Trump administration has withdrawn federal support for the annual Arctic Report Card, ending the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) two-decade role in coordinating the assessment of environmental, ecological and social changes across the Arctic.

The 2026 edition of the report is already being prepared and is expected to move forward, but without NOAA's coordination, logistical assistance and formal publication as a NOAA technical report.

The decision was communicated to some scientists involved in the report on Monday, according to people familiar with the matter. The reason for the immediate withdrawal was not publicly explained.

NOAA Ends Coordination Role

NOAA spokesperson Kim Doster confirmed that the agency would no longer facilitate the 2026 edition.

Doster said data historically contributed by NOAA would continue to be collected and remain publicly available.

However, the agency's withdrawal means this year's publication will not carry the same NOAA technical-report status it has traditionally held.

NOAA has played a significant coordinating role in the report, including providing a coordinating editor, hosting the publication online and supporting its public release alongside the lead authors.

21st Edition Already Underway

The Arctic Report Card's 2026 edition is already in preparation, with lead authors, chapter contributors and other scientists working on the assessment.

Without NOAA's logistical and editorial support, the researchers will now have to determine how the publication will be completed and released.

The report is generally published each December and has become a major annual reference for understanding conditions across the Arctic.

What Is Arctic Report Card?

The Arctic Report Card provides an annual overview of changes taking place across the Arctic region.

The publication covers a wide range of environmental and ecological indicators, including sea ice, wildlife, vegetation and climate conditions.

It also examines changes affecting communities and the lives of people living across the Arctic.

Scientists have increasingly focused on the region because the Arctic is warming significantly faster than the global average, contributing to rapid changes in sea ice, ecosystems and weather patterns.

Beyond Climate Science

The report has attracted attention beyond scientific and academic circles.

Researchers and educators use its findings to track long-term environmental trends, while policymakers have relied on its assessments when considering Arctic-related issues.

The report's findings have also had implications for national security and strategic planning. According to one source, NATO has previously cited the assessment.

That broader use has made the publication an important source of consolidated information about a region that is becoming increasingly significant for environmental, economic and geopolitical reasons.

Wider Climate Policy Changes

NOAA's withdrawal comes amid broader changes to federal climate programmes and access to government climate information under the Trump administration.

The agency has already discontinued some climate-related initiatives and stopped producing its annual report on billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, according to the report.

The administration has also halted updates to Climate.gov, limiting the release of new official information on subjects including El Niño and global warming.

National Climate Assessment Affected

Other major climate programmes have also faced changes.

NOAA dismissed authors who had been working on the federally mandated National Climate Assessment and plans to restart the author-selection process.

The move has drawn attention because some of the proposed or selected authors have questioned aspects of the scientific consensus surrounding human-caused climate change.

The changes have raised concerns among scientists about the future of federal climate research and the role of government agencies in communicating environmental information.

Data to Remain Public

Despite ending its coordination role, NOAA has said that data historically provided by the agency for the Arctic Report Card will continue to be collected and made publicly available.

That means researchers involved in the 2026 assessment will still have access to NOAA's underlying datasets, although they will no longer receive the same institutional coordination and logistical support.

The immediate challenge will therefore be maintaining the report's annual publication and scientific continuity without its traditional federal framework.

What Comes Next?

The 2026 Arctic Report Card is expected to continue despite NOAA's withdrawal.

Researchers will now have to establish an alternative mechanism for coordinating the report, managing its publication and communicating its findings.

The development could ultimately determine whether the report continues as an independent scientific assessment or takes a different institutional form.

For scientists monitoring rapid changes in the Arctic, maintaining consistent long-term data and annual assessments will remain important as environmental and geopolitical attention on the region continues to grow.

US President Donald Trump has urged FIFA to award a future FIFA World Cup exclusively to the United States, saying the country should host the tournament again—but this time without Canada and Mexico. Trump made the remarks during a FIFA World Cup reception held ahead of Sunday's final between Spain and Argentina.

Addressing guests at Trump Tower in New York, Trump praised the success of the 2026 tournament and encouraged FIFA to bring the competition back to the United States.

“You should choose the United States of America again. This time we will leave Canada and Mexico out,” Trump said.

He added, in a light-hearted tone, that FIFA should “pick somebody else for the next one and that will take some of the anger, hatred and steam out of everyone.”

Eyes on the 2038 FIFA World Cup

Trump's comments are widely seen as an informal pitch for the 2038 FIFA World Cup, the next men's tournament still available for bidding.

The hosting rights for the next two editions have already been decided:

• 2030 FIFA World Cup: Spain, Portugal and Morocco will jointly host the tournament, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will stage the opening matches as part of the centenary celebrations.
• 2034 FIFA World Cup: Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host nation.

With those tournaments already allocated, the 2038 World Cup is expected to become the next major bidding contest.

Trump Mentions Joint US-China Hosting Idea

During his speech, Trump revealed that FIFA President Gianni Infantino had once suggested the possibility of the United States and China jointly hosting a World Cup.

Joking about the proposal, Trump said players would have “a nice short flight in between games.”

Although the remark drew laughs, FIFA has not announced any plans regarding the 2038 bidding process.

Reference to Balogun Suspension Controversy

Trump also revisited the controversy surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun, who received a red card during the United States' victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The president said he personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to seek a review of the decision. FIFA later lifted Balogun's automatic one-match suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium—a decision that drew criticism from football fans and analysts worldwide.

Praising Infantino during the reception, Trump remarked:

“You made another great decision. You'll never get credit for that.”

Trump's Continued Interest in Major Sporting Events

Trump has frequently highlighted the importance of hosting global sporting events in the United States. Throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he has attended several football-related events and promoted the tournament as a showcase of America's ability to stage international competitions.

His latest remarks suggest he would like to see the United States once again compete for hosting rights when FIFA opens the bidding for the 2038 FIFA World Cup.

The 23rd FIFA Men's World Cup gets under way on Friday with a record 48-team tournament staged across three North American countries for the first time in 96 years, bringing a larger schedule, a richer prize pool and new viewing patterns for fans in India and around the world.

Three nations hosting

The tournament — played in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 12 to July 20 — marks the first time three countries have jointly hosted the World Cup. Mexico will host the opening match in Mexico City on June 12, when the hosts take on South Africa. According to FIFA, 16 host cities will stage 104 matches, the most in the competition’s history.

Bigger field, new format

For the first time since the World Cup expanded in 1998, the field has grown again: 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four, with each side playing three group-stage matches. The top two teams from each group (24 in total) qualify directly for the knockout round, while the eight best third-placed teams also advance, creating a 32-team first knockout stage. That change extends the tournament schedule and guarantees more knockout fixtures than previous editions.

Prize money jumps

FIFA has increased the overall prize pool significantly. The organisation said the total distribution for the 48 teams will be about USD 655 million (roughly ₹5,600 crore), up nearly 50% from 2022. The champions will receive approximately USD 50 million (around ₹429 crore), the runners-up about USD 33 million (₹283 crore), with third and fourth place teams getting roughly USD 31 million and USD 29 million respectively, according to tournament figures released by FIFA.

Standout teams and groups

Defending champions Argentina are placed in Group J. Heavyweights France and Spain landed in Groups I and H respectively, while England, Germany and Portugal occupy Groups L, E and K. Early analyses by pundits and data models have flagged Groups H through L as especially competitive, dubbing several of them “groups of death” because they pack multiple top-ranked nations.

Debuts and veterans

The 2026 World Cup includes first-time appearances from Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan, while Haiti has reached the finals for the first time since 1974. Scotland, Austria and Norway return after lengthy absences. FIFA’s official squad lists also show striking age contrasts: Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is the oldest player at 43 years and 162 days, while Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest at 17 years and 240 days.

Local context and fan impact

In Mexico City’s Azteca and other host stadiums, organisers say they are ready for packed crowds and complicated logistics as fans move across borders and time zones. Matches will be played across venues spanning North America, producing kick-off times that translate into a wide range for Indian viewers — from early morning to late-night slots. Broadcast rights holders in India, Zee Entertainment’s Unite8 Sports Network, will stream live matches via the Zee5 app and website, with additional highlights and reports available on Indian news apps.

Historic notes

Mexico becomes the first nation to host the men’s World Cup three times (1970, 1986, 2026). The World Cup itself began in 1930 in Uruguay; the tournament has grown steadily in size and commercial scale since then, with interruptions only during World War II. Brazil remains the most successful nation with five titles, while Argentina captured the last World Cup in 2022.

What's next

As the group stage unfolds over the next three weeks, teams will jostle for the 32 knockout slots that now follow a larger group phase. Fans should expect more upsets and extended tournament drama, with an unusually dense schedule of fixtures and new storylines emerging from debutant nations and veteran stars alike.