The United States has revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals accused of violating visa conditions, committing crimes or posing threats to national security.
The U.S. Department of State said the visa revocations followed continuous vetting of visa holders to ensure they complied with the terms of their visas and did not pose a danger to Americans.
According to the department, most of the revocations resulted from law enforcement encounters involving criminal activities, with assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related offences among the leading causes.
Other cases involved reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement.
Crimes and Immigration Violations
The State Department said visas were also revoked from foreign nationals who called for violence against Americans, endorsed violence, defrauded Americans, abused the immigration system or participated in illegal birth tourism schemes.
Among the cases cited by the department was a foreign national charged with felony rape and sexual battery, including an alleged offence involving a mentally disabled victim.
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Others included a foreign national charged with felony kidnapping, human trafficking and sexual exploitation of a minor.
The department also cited a foreign national arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest with violence, drunk driving and domestic violence.
In another case, a U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas belonging to parents accused of travelling to the United States primarily to give birth so their children could obtain American citizenship.
Visa Holders Linked to Child Abuse, Drugs and Fraud
The department said other visa holders had been charged with serious sexual offences, including one foreign national charged with sodomy of a child and aggravated sexual battery.
Another was charged with more than a dozen counts of possessing child sexual abuse material, while another was arrested for driving with heroin and a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit.
The State Department also cited foreign nationals accused of celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including individuals who made comments appearing to celebrate his death.
In one fraud case, a foreign national who claimed to operate a legitimate business helping vulnerable patients access healthcare was accused of helping orchestrate a Medicaid scam involving more than $5 million in fraudulent claims.
Another foreign national was accused of building a company on false revenue figures, deceiving investors and using false claims and forged letters to fraudulently obtain a U.S. visa.
The department also cited a foreign national who travelled to the United States to teach young students and was later arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting one.
Rubio: Visa Is a Privilege, Not a Right
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said some foreign nationals were also considered deportable on foreign policy grounds.
Those cited included a Cuban national allegedly connected to a Cuban communist regime influence operation, Iranian nationals with alleged connections to the Iranian regime, a Laotian child sex offender pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and a Kuwaiti national accused of wishing violence against President Donald Trump and referring to Americans as his “enemy.”
The State Department said the administration would continue identifying, investigating and revoking visas belonging to foreign nationals considered threats to American citizens.
“A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right,” the department said, adding that it would continue using available measures to protect communities from people who abuse the immigration system.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.