Trump Administration Revokes More Than 175,000 Visas
The U.S. State Department continues its sweeping immigration crackdown, with criminal activity, visa violations, and national security threats among the reasons for visa revocations.
The U.S. State Department continues its sweeping immigration crackdown, with criminal activity, visa violations, and national security threats among the reasons for visa revocations.
The U.S. State Department announced on Monday, August 10, 2026, that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas for foreign nationals under the administration of President Donald Trump. This move is part of a comprehensive crackdown on immigration, which has already stripped tens of thousands of people of their travel and immigration privileges. The State Department released a fact sheet on Monday outlining the reasons for the revocations.
In the State Department's statement, it said the measures target individuals who have "violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against American citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or threatened national security." Most revocations, it noted, followed "encounters with law enforcement," with the primary causes being assaults, drunk driving, theft, and drug-related crimes.
The State Department emphasized that the reviews are the result of ongoing vetting operations. "An American visa is a privilege, not a right," they stated, adding that they will continue to use all available authorities to revoke visas from those who abuse this privilege.
In addition to general reasons, the State Department highlighted several specific cases. Among them are an individual charged with aggravated rape and sexual abuse, another for kidnapping and human trafficking, and a person facing more than a dozen counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Particular attention was drawn to an action by the U.S. Embassy in North Africa, which canceled more than 100 visas for parents, so-called "birth tourists." According to reports, they came to the U.S. with the primary goal of having their children born on American soil and thereby obtaining citizenship.
Visas were also revoked for a number of foreigners who "celebrated" the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk was a popular conservative activist who was killed last year. One of those celebrating his death stated that Kirk "died too late," while another commented that "when fascists die, democrats don't complain."
The growing scale of visa revocations is a direct reflection of the immigration policy Trump initiated upon his return to the White House last year. Since then, there has been a deportation of an unprecedented number of migrants, including those with valid visas. As early as January 2026, the State Department reported a record 100,000 visa revocations, a figure that has now been surpassed multiple times.
The administration has also adopted a stricter visa approval policy, introducing enhanced social media checks and expanded security screenings. These measures have drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and experts, who argue that they threaten freedom of speech and represent a form of surveillance and targeted persecution of immigrants.
