US revokes more than 175,000 visas under Trump administration

WASHINGTON, Aug 10: The US State Department said Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals under President Donald Trump, citing criminal activity, visa violations, fraud, calls for violence and other threats to US national security.

According to a State Department fact sheet, most of the visa revocations resulted from law-enforcement encounters involving criminal activity.

The department said the leading offenses included assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related crimes. Other cases involved reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement.

The State Department said the cancellations were part of its ongoing visa-vetting efforts to ensure that foreign nationals comply with the conditions of their visas and do not pose a threat to Americans.

“The revocations come as a result of the State Department’s continuous vetting operations,” the department said.

The administration said it would continue identifying and investigating foreign nationals it considers threats to US public safety or national security.

“A US visa is a privilege, not a right,” the State Department said, stressing that it would continue using its legal authorities to revoke visas from individuals deemed to have abused that privilege.