US State Department Revokes Over 250,000 Visas Amid National Security Concerns
The US State Department has revoked over 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump assumed office in a move aimed at ensuring national security and vetting foreign nationals thoroughly.
According to Fox News, which cited a State Department official, the revocations encompass various visa violations and are part of ongoing efforts by the department to identify visa holders whose conduct makes them ineligible to remain in the US.
The State Department is using continuous vetting to identify individuals who commit crimes, support terrorism, defraud Americans, or abuse the US immigration system. Most of the revocations have followed law enforcement encounters involving criminal activity, with assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug-related offenses among the leading reasons.
Over 2,300 visas were linked to 'birth tourism', where foreign nationals travel to the US solely to give birth and secure citizenship for their child. The State Department has also revoked the visas of 27 Latin American officials, former officials, and their family members over corruption allegations.