The United States has revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals under President Donald Trump’s administration, citing criminal offences, violations of visa conditions and national security concerns.
The US Department of State disclosed the figure in a statement published on its website on Monday.
According to the department, most of the visa revocations followed “law enforcement encounters involving criminal activity”, with assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related offences among the leading causes.
Other cancellations were linked to reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud, embezzlement and other crimes, the department said.
The State Department said the revocations were part of its continuous-vetting programme, which monitors visa holders for compliance with US immigration requirements and identifies individuals considered potential threats to public safety or national security.
Some cases involved foreign nationals charged with serious offences, including felony rape and sexual battery, kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, child sexual abuse and domestic violence.
The department also said a US embassy in North Africa had revoked more than 100 visas issued to parents accused of engaging in “birth tourism” — travelling to the United States primarily to give birth so their children could obtain US citizenship.
Other cases included a foreign national allegedly caught driving with heroin while recording a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit.
The department also highlighted cases involving financial crimes. In one case, a foreign national accused of operating a legitimate healthcare-access business was allegedly involved in a Medicaid fraud scheme involving more than $5 million in fraudulent claims.
In another case, a foreign national was accused of falsifying company revenue figures and forging letters to deceive investors and fraudulently obtain a US visa.
The State Department further said some visa holders had been identified as allegedly celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including individuals whose statements appeared to praise or endorse his killing.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also determined that certain foreign nationals are deportable on foreign-policy grounds.
Among the cases cited were a Cuban national allegedly linked to an influence operation associated with the Cuban communist regime; Iranian nationals said to have ties to the Iranian government; a Laotian child-sex offender who was pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz; and a Kuwaiti national accused of expressing a desire for violence against the US president and referring to Americans as his “enemy”.
The department said the visa-revocation campaign would continue as officials identify and investigate foreign nationals considered threats to public safety or national security.
“A US visa is a privilege, not a right,” the department said, adding that it would use available measures to protect American communities from individuals who abuse the immigration system.
