'Green card is a privilege, will be revoked...': USCIS warns legal immigrants as Trump ramps up crackdown

Amid a wave of federal budget cuts, deportation crackdowns, and sliding approval ratings, the Trump administration has now issued a fresh warning targeting even legal immigrants in the United States.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Tuesday cautioned green card holders and visa recipients to strictly adhere to American laws and values—or risk losing their legal status. In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), the agency said, “Green cards and visas will be revoked if an alien breaks the law.”

The post went further, stating, “Coming to America and receiving a visa or green card is a privilege. Our laws and values must be respected. If you advocate for violence, endorse or support terrorist activity, or encourage others to do so, you are no longer eligible to stay in the US.”

The warning comes on the heels of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration that is increasingly targeting not just undocumented immigrants, but also foreign nationals residing in the US legally.

Legal status now at risk after visa revocation

According to NBC News, an internal memo from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a division under US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), suggests that even legal status could now be immediately terminated if a visa is revoked.

Previously, non-citizens such as international students had the opportunity to challenge revocations or fix minor violations. But under the revised approach, a revoked visa alone can serve as grounds for deportation without due process.

NBC’s report also noted that the memo expands the criteria ICE uses to strip foreign students of their status, including cases where a student might drop out, lose work authorization, or commit specific offenses.