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The US Department of State has canceled 175,000 visas held by foreign nationals since Donald Trump returned to the presidency. This is four times more than during Joe Biden’s final year in the White House. Most decisions were linked to criminal offenses and violations of visa rules. Other reasons included fraud, calls for violence and threats to national security.
Serious Criminal Cases
Serious criminal cases were among the grounds for visa cancellations. They included the rape of a mentally incapacitated victim, kidnapping and human trafficking. One migrant lost his visa after being accused of disorderly conduct, resisting the police, drunk driving and domestic violence.
The State Department also cited crimes against children, including possession of more than ten items of child pornography. One such case involved a teacher accused of sexually abusing a student. A Laotian national who had committed a sex offense against a child and had been pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also lost his visa.
Another foreign national will have to leave the country after being accused of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, drunk driving and domestic violence. A migrant arrested for driving a vehicle containing heroin also lost the right to remain in the United States. His blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.
Birth Tourism and Fraud
A US embassy in one of the North African countries revoked more than 100 visas. The decisions affected parents who had traveled to the United States primarily to give birth and obtain US citizenship for their children.
One foreign national participated in a large scheme involving fictitious medical services. He claimed to help vulnerable patients receive treatment, but more than $5 million was billed through the Medicaid program for services that had not actually been provided.
In another “business,” a migrant falsified the company’s revenue figures, misled investors and obtained millions of dollars from clients. To obtain a visa, he used false statements and forged letters.
Threats to National Security
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio deemed deportable on foreign-policy grounds a Cuban national linked to an operation by the country’s communist regime, as well as Iranian nationals connected to the country’s authorities. Similar action was taken against a Kuwaiti national who called Americans his enemies and advocated violence against the US president.
The Guardian recalls the case of a Turkish student who was studying at Tufts University’s graduate school. She lost her visa after publishing an article criticizing the university’s position on the war in Gaza. Immigration authorities detained her, but a court later dismissed the case. She subsequently returned to Turkey.
Visas were also canceled for foreign nationals who approved of the killing of Charlie Kirk. One of them said that “when fascists die, Democrats don’t complain,” while another wrote that Kirk “died too late.”
Background. Charlie Kirk was an American conservative political activist, the founder of Turning Point USA and a supporter of Donald Trump. He also hosted a podcast and radio show aimed primarily at a young conservative audience. Kirk was killed in September 2025 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Conclusion
Under Joe Biden’s administration, the US Department of State revoked around 40,000 visas in 2024. In 2025, the Donald Trump administration canceled more than 100,000 visas, while in 2026 the monthly pace increased from 8,000 to 10,000. The State Department said it would continue identifying, investigating and canceling the visas of foreign nationals who pose a threat to Americans.
The department stressed that a US visa is a privilege, not a right. It intends to use all available tools to protect American citizens from foreign nationals who violate entry conditions or abuse the immigration system.
Analysts at International Investment note that US migration policy is continuing to tighten. It remains unclear what share of visas are canceled because of serious crimes and how many are revoked for less serious violations, such as overstaying. In any case, this relocation route has become more difficult for foreign nationals and requires particularly careful compliance with the rules.