The United States State Department has cancelled more than 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office. This historic wave of US visa revocations marks a sharp escalation in the federal government’s broader visa vetting crackdown, targeting foreign visitors who violate their stay conditions or break federal law.
According to Fox News, official figures show the agency has aggressively expanded continuous screening across all categories, directly altering long-standing immigration enforcement policy.
According to officials, the cancellations cover a wide array of infractions. Authorities targeted individuals who overstayed, committed crimes, called for violence against the US or its citizens, defrauded Americans, abused the system, or posed direct threats to national security. Among the total, officials confirmed 2,300 cancellations specifically linked to birth tourism—a practice where foreign nationals travel to the US to secure automatic citizenship for newborns.
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,” Pigott 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.”
Regional Corruption Probe Triggers Immediate Action
The aggressive stance extends beyond individual visitors to high-level diplomatic channels. On Monday, the State Department revoked the visas of 27 Latin American officials, former officials, and their immediate family members over allegations of corruption. The targeted individuals include figures from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
This regional action signals a clear message to foreign political figures. The federal government continues to leverage travel restrictions as a direct tool against foreign misconduct and governance abuses abroad.
Broad Reforms Target Asylum Seeker B1 B2 Visas
Over the summer, federal authorities initiated preparations to cancel business and tourist travel documents held by as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who subsequently applied for asylum within the United States. This targeted initiative focuses heavily on asylum seeker B1 B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau addressed the decision, stating that the public had grown weary of “bogus asylum claims” used to bypass legal entry channels.
Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration laws; rather, it’s supposed to provide a narrow safe harbor for persons persecuted because of their ‘race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion,’” he wrote on X at the time.
Landau highlighted how frivolous applications have overwhelmed federal processing systems, creating backlogs that take years to resolve while applicants remain in the country.
Criminal Offenses Accelerate Mass Cancellations
A significant portion of the total actions took place in August alone, when federal officials cancelled over 175,000 travel permits in a single month. The vast majority resulted from law enforcement encounters involving criminal activity across multiple jurisdictions.
Leading causes for cancellation included physical assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug offenses. Officials noted that additional revocations involved reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, financial fraud, and embezzlement.
By maintaining continuous background checks, federal agencies continue to ensure that non-citizens who commit crimes face immediate cancellation of their legal right to enter or remain in the country.
