The Trump administration said on Monday it has revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals, citing alleged breaches of visa terms linked to criminal activity and calls for violence against Americans, among other allegations. The US State Department said most cancellations followed “law enforcement encounters”. Some immigration lawyers expressed concern that the administration’s approach could extend to minor encounters or to charges that have not been tested through the court system. Visa cancellations accelerateThe announcement marked an increase compared with the previous year. The State Department said revocations in 2026 averaged more than 10,000 cancellations per month, versus more than 8,000 per month across 2025. It also said the administration had revoked more than 100,000 visas during the previous year, after announcing the figure in January. The administration described the removals as part of what it said is ongoing vetting. It said the State Department’s work is intended to ensure visa holders comply with the conditions attached to their visas and do not endanger Americans. Grounds cited for revocationsIn a statement, the State Department said the majority of visas were revoked because of law enforcement encounters involving a range of criminal activity. It listed assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug offences as leading causes. It also said other grounds included reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement, alongside other alleged crimes. The department added that it will “continue to identify, investigate, and revoke the visas” of foreign nationals it says threaten public safety, citing leadership by President Donald Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio. Named cases and “birth tourism” claimsAmong examples described by the State Department were multiple foreign nationals who, it said, celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political activist killed in September 2025. The department said visas were revoked for people who posted messages including “when fascists die, democrats don’t complain,” and another who said Kirk “died too late”. Other high-profile cases included Tou Lue Vang, a 42-year-old father of six who was deported to Laos last month by the Department of Homeland Security. The State Department said Vang had been pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz a few weeks earlier following a 2005 conviction for sexually abusing a child. It said Vang’s removal was carried out on “foreign policy grounds”. The department also cited other deportations and visa revocation determinations on “foreign policy grounds”, including foreign nationals from Cuba described as having links to the communist regime, Iranians in the US said to have ties to the Iranian regime, and a Kuwaiti national who it said “wished for violence against” the president and the US, and called Americans his “enemy”. Additional cases listed by the State Department involved people it said were arrested or charged with sexual assault or sexual abuse, including allegations involving minors, as well as kidnapping and human trafficking. It also referenced driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and alleged fraud. Separately, the State Department said a US embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas for “birth tourist” parents. It said the individuals travelled primarily to give birth so their children would obtain US citizenship. “A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right. The Department remains committed to using every tool available to protect our communities from those who abuse it,” the State Department said. Join the discussion? 11 August 2026
View full article
Create an account or sign in to comment