U.S. revokes over 175,000 visas citing national security and criminal grounds

The U.S. State Department says more than 175,000 visas have been revoked under President Donald Trump’s administration on grounds including national security, criminal activity, fraud and immigration violations, with most cases involving foreign nationals accused of assault, drunk driving, theft and drug offenses.
The State Department said the main reasons for visa revocations included crimes, fraud, immigration violations, incitement to violence and threats to national security. Officials clarified that visas were cancelled for individuals who violated visa conditions, committed crimes, encouraged violence against U.S. citizens, or misused the immigration system.
Most visas were revoked after encounters between law enforcement agencies and foreign nationals. Other cases involved allegations of sexual assault, child abuse, kidnapping, human smuggling and child sexual exploitation.
The department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio has designated several foreign nationals for removal on foreign-policy grounds, including citizens of Cuba and Iran linked to foreign government influence operations, with additional cases involving nationals from Laos and Kuwait. In one Kuwait-related case, a foreign national expressed a desire for violence against the U.S. president and called Americans enemies.
The State Department noted that one U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked visas for more than 100 parents suspected of “birth tourism” — traveling to the U.S. to give birth so their children could obtain U.S. citizenship. Other cases cited included Medicaid fraud, business-income fraud tied to visa applications, and the use of forged documents to obtain visas.
The department emphasized that a U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right, and said it will continue identifying, investigating and revoking visas for foreign nationals deemed threats to the safety of the American public.