WASHINGTON, DC – The United States government says it has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals as the Donald Trump administration intensifies vetting and enforcement of immigration laws.
The Department of State said the visas were revoked for a range of reasons, including violations of visa terms, criminal activity, calls for violence against US citizens, fraud, abuse of the immigration system and conduct deemed a threat to national security.
“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,” the Department said.
The State Department attributed the increased enforcement to its “continuous vetting operations,” which it said are intended to ensure that visa holders comply with the conditions of their visas and do not pose a danger to Americans.
The Department also said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban migrants, has determined that several foreign nationals are deportable on foreign policy grounds. It cited, among them, a Cuban national allegedly connected to what Washington described as a Cuban government influence operation.
Washington maintained that a US visa is a “privilege, not a right,” and said the administration would continue using available immigration and national security authorities against people it believes have abused the visa system.
The increased scrutiny could have implications for foreign nationals travelling to the United States, with the State Department warning that deliberately misrepresenting the purpose of travel or entry could result in permanent ineligibility for a US visa or admission to the country.
“Foreign nationals who abuse the visa system, and those who help them do so, may lose their visa, their access, and their future in the United States,” the Department warned, adding: “This is only the beginning.”
The broader visa enforcement campaign also includes efforts targeting so-called “birth tourism,” in which foreign nationals are accused of misusing nonimmigrant visas to give birth in the United States.
The State Department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify such cases and prevent the misuse of visas. It said authorities have uncovered instances in which applicants allegedly misrepresented their travel intentions in an effort to secure US citizenship for their children.
Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other legal groups said they were seeking federal court intervention to protect children potentially affected by the administration's actions.
