U.S. State Dept.: Trump admin. has revoked more than 175K visas held by foreign nationals since Jan. 2025

US President Donald Trump (L) and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stand at the end of a roundtable on the American mining industry at the US Department of State in Washington, DC, on August 7, 2026.

The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas held by foreign nationals since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025.

According to State Department officials, the vast majority of visa cancellations stemmed from local law enforcement encounters and subsequent filed criminal charges.

Leading causes included “driving under the influence (DUI), assault, theft, drug offenses, reckless driving and severe allegations involving sexual battery, child abuse and human trafficking.”

The agency also highlighted a slew of financial fraud cases — including a multi-million-dollar Medicaid scheme — and targetings of organized birth tourism networks, such as an embassy in North Africa revoking over 100 visas issued to parents accused of traveling solely to secure U.S. birthright citizenship for their children.

 

Beyond standard criminal charges, the Trump administration has expanded visa revocations on foreign policy grounds. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly personally ordered cancellations for diplomatic and security reasons, finding individuals linked to foreign governments such as Cuba and Iran.

 

Additionally, the State Department confirmed it revoked visas belonging to foreign nationals who posted online comments sociopathically celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk 

 

or endorsing violence against U.S. officials and citizens, enforcing social media monitoring as part of its vetting framework.

America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens.

Visa revocations are under way. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported. You are not welcome in this country. pic.twitter.com/dQys2OAeK7

 — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 16, 2025

The pace of revocations has accelerated significantly, rising from an average of 8,000 per month earlier in the administration to roughly 10,000 per month.

Officials explained further that the crackdown is necessary to ensure public safety, emphasizing that holding a U.S. visa “remains a privilege rather than a legal right.”