Washington: US Monday announced that it had revoked more than 1.75 lakh visas during President Donald Trump’s tenure for a range of crimes from reckless driving to sexual assault.
In a statement, the Department of State said the revocations resulted from continuous vetting operations that ensure visa recipients abide by their visa terms and do not endanger Americans.
“Under President Trump, the United States Department of State has revoked more than 175,000 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 State Department said.
A country-wise breakup of visa revocations was not immediately available.
“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 statement said.
It said a 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 state department said.
It said some of the individuals whose visas were revoked included 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 also had his visa revoked.
The department also pointed to the issue of birth tourism.
“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,” the department said.
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 US and called Americans his “enemy”, the statement said.
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