The fate of thousands of Kenyans living and working in the United States has been thrown into uncertainty following the Trump administration’s latest directive to review more than 55 million foreign visas. The move, announced on Thursday, August 21, is part of a sweeping vetting exercise that could lead to mass deportations and visa cancellations.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the review will encompass a broad range of visa categories, including tourist, student, and work visas. Officials explained that the exercise aims to identify individuals who may have violated the terms of their stay, overstayed their visas, or engaged in activities deemed a threat to public safety.
“We review all available information as part of our vetting, including law enforcement or immigration records, or any other information that comes to light after visa issuance, indicating a potential ineligibility,” the Department noted.
While the government admitted the process would be lengthy, it emphasized that continuous vetting was necessary to safeguard American lives and uphold immigration laws. For Kenyans, many of whom have built lives, families, and businesses in the U.S., the announcement has stoked anxiety. The possibility of visas being revoked—even for those legally present- means that deportation could become an immediate reality.
The directive also came with a shock suspension of all visas for foreign commercial truck drivers. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the decision, claiming foreign drivers posed risks to both road safety and the livelihoods of American truckers. “Effective immediately, we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers,” Rubio declared in a statement.
For Kenyan nationals, particularly students and workers, the review underscores the fragility of their stay in the U.S. The looming uncertainty has sparked concerns among diaspora communities, who now fear that years of hard work and sacrifice could be upended by the stroke of a pen.
