The US State Department Monday published the exact number of visas revoked in the second term of Donald Trump’s presidency. As per the data, US has revoked more than 1,75,000 visas from foreign nationals who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against US citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security, the department said.“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 revoked for reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement, and other crimes,” the department said.
What is visa revocation?
When the State Department revokes the legal status of migrants and deems them illegal, it is called visa revocation. It is different from denaturalization as denaturalization happens only to those who have become US citizens.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, a Laotian child sex offender pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and a Kuwaiti national who wished for violence against the President of the United States and called Americans his “enemy”, the department said giving a list of other significant visa revocations.
- A foreign national who was charged with felony rape and sexual battery – including of a victim who was mentally disabled.
- A foreign national charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of a minor.
- A foreign national arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest with violence, drunk driving, and domestic violence.
- A US embassy in North Africa revoked over 100 visas for “birth tourist” parents who came to the United States primarily to give birth so their children would get US citizenship.
- A foreign national charged with sodomy of a child and aggravated sexual battery.
- A foreign national charged with over a dozen counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
- A foreign national was arrested for driving with heroin and a blood alcohol level more than 3x the legal limit.
- Multiple foreign nationals who celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including one who stated “when fascists die, democrats don’t complain” and another who said he “died too late.”
- A foreign national who claimed to operate a legitimate business helping vulnerable patients access healthcare helped orchestrate a massive Medicaid scam – billing for over $5 million of fake services.
- A foreign national built a company on lies – faking revenue and fooling investors to swindle millions of dollars from clients. The foreign national used the false claims and forged letters to fraudulently secure a visa.
- A foreign national who came to the US to teach young students and was then arrested for sexually assaulting one.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, the State Department will continue to identify, investigate, and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who threaten the safety of the American people. A US 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 department said.Also read: Visa revocation, travel ban for reckless drivers: US says no second chance to those who put American lives at riskFrom classrooms to careers, Trump tightens the immigration squeezeThe Trump administration is tightening the immigration rules facing foreign talent at both ends of the pipeline, from international students to highly skilled workers. A new DHS rule will replace the current ‘duration of status’ system for F-1 students with fixed periods of stay, generally capped at four years, while cutting the post-study grace period from 60 days to 30.The rules also restrict students’ ability to change programmes or fields of study, particularly at graduate level, potentially adding costs, delays and uncertainty. At the other end, the administration is considering scrapping the 60-day grace period for H-1B workers who lose their jobs. For Indians, who make up the largest group of international students in the US and a major share of H-1B workers, the changes could make studying, working and building a long-term life in America significantly more difficult.
