WASHINGTON (TNND) — The State Department said it has revoked more than 250,000 visas during President Trump’s second term in office from foreign nationals who have violated the visa terms or committed crimes.
The visas were revoked for various violations, including foreign nationals who called for violence against the U.S. or Americans, defrauded U.S. citizens, abused the immigration system, endangered national security, violated the terms of their visas, and committed crimes, a State Department official told Fox News on Wednesday.
The updated number comes after the State Department announced in August that it had revoked more than 175,000 visas.
Those visas were revoked from foreign nationals who defrauded or called for violence against U.S. citizens, endangered national security, and committed crimes such as assault, theft, drugs, reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, and driving under the influence, according to the State Department. The majority of the revoked visas resulted from law enforcement encounters with the foreign nationals for these crimes.
The State Department also cited specific examples of crimes committed by foreign nationals whose visas were revoked, including one who was charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of a minor; another who was arrested for driving with heroin and a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit; and one who helped orchestrate a $5 million Medicaid scam.
Of the 250,000 visas revoked, 2,300 were in connection with birth tourism, which is when pregnant foreign nationals travel to the U.S. to give birth so their child automatically receives citizenship.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio, the State Department has now revoked more than 250,000 visas — a historic milestone that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
“Every visa decision is a national security decision. Through continuous vetting on a scale never seen before, we are identifying and removing those who commit crimes, support terrorism, defraud Americans, or abuse our immigration system,” he added.
“A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right — and if you violate the terms of that privilege, you will lose it. We will not stop until every foreign national who threatens the safety of our communities is held accountable.”
The State Department on Monday revoked, over corruption accusations, the visas of 27 officials, former officials, and their families who are from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
In August, the Trump administration said it started preparing to revoke business and tourist visas held by as many as 200,000 foreigners who applied for asylum. The crackdown focused on B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreigners who later sought asylum. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said at the time that Americans were “fed up with bogus asylum claims.”
