US Revokes Over 175,000 Visas Amid Rising Concerns Over Immigration Security

The US State Department has revoked over 175,000 visas due to various reasons including law enforcement encounters for criminal activity. Among those affected are foreign nationals charged with serious crimes such as rape, kidnapping, human trafficking, and child abuse.

According to the State Department, the majority of these visas were revoked due to law enforcement encounters for a range of criminal activity, with assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug crimes being the leading causes. A significant share of visas were also revoked for reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud, and embezzlement.

A US embassy in North Africa has revoked over 100 visas for 'birth tourist' parents who entered the country primarily to give birth so their children would get US citizenship.

The State Department notes that the revocations come as a result of continuous vetting operations, which ensure that visa recipients abide by the terms of their visa and do not endanger Americans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has determined that numerous foreign nationals are deportable on foreign policy grounds, including a Cuban national connected to a Cuban communist regime influence operation, Iranian nationals with connections to the Iranian regime, and a Laotian child sex offender pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.