US State Department Revokes Over 175,000 Visas Under Trump's Administration

US State Department Revokes Over 175,000 Visas Under Trump's Administration

  • The US State Department revealed the number of visas revoked since President Donald Trump began his second term
  • Crimes such as assault, drunk driving, theft, and drug offences accounted for the largest share of revocations
  • The department also cited birth tourism as one of the grounds for revoking visas, with over 100 cases flagged in North Africa

The United States State Department said on August 10 that it has cancelled more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals since President Donald Trump returned to office for his second term.

The announcement covers a wide range of offences.

Visa revocations highlight crimes like assault, theft, and fraud as the department strengthens national security measures.
US State Department cancels visas as it enforces immigration laws and protects American communities from criminal threats. Photo credit: BenJason/GettyImages
Source: Getty Images

According to the department, affected individuals include those who broke the conditions of their visas, committed crimes on American soil, called for violence against US citizens, defrauded Americans, or posed a threat to national security.

Why the visas were revoked

The department said most of the cancellations were tied to encounters with law enforcement.

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"The 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," the department said.

Sexual assault and reckless driving were also among the offences cited.

According to Fox news, the department highlighted specific examples, including a foreign national charged with felony, sexual battery against a mentally disabled victim, and another charged with felony kidnapping, and sexual exploitation of a minor.

Birth tourism also in the crosshairs

Beyond criminal activity, the department also took aim at birth tourism, where foreign nationals travel to the United States specifically to give birth so their children qualify for American citizenship. The department said a US embassy in North Africa cancelled more than 100 visas belonging to parents who had used this approach.

Defending the moves, the department said:

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"Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio's leadership, the State Department will continue to identify, investigate, and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who threaten the safety of the American people. A U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right."

The department added that it remains committed to using every available tool to protect American communities from those who abuse the immigration system.

Immigration enforcement continues under Trump’s second term, targeting foreign nationals who pose risks to public safety.
Birth tourism faces crackdown as embassies cancel visas of parents exploiting citizenship loopholes. Photo credit: ShawnGorretz/GettyImages
Source: Getty Images

Germany deports 137 Nigerians

Legit.ng earlier reported that Germany deported at least 137 Nigerian citizens across five chartered flight operations between February and June 2026, according to figures monitored by the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org and reported by the Punch.

The five operations returned Nigerians in separate batches: 27 in February, 37 as part of a 50-person joint EU operation in March, 24 in April, 23 in May, and 26 in June 2026.

According to Punch, the first recorded operation took place on February 18, when 27 Nigerians arrived at the Lagos Cargo Airport aboard a World2fly aircraft that departed Stuttgart. The flight was primarily enforced by Germany, though one person described as severely ill and mentally unfit was transferred from Slovakia to join the group.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Basit Jamiu is an AFP-certified journalist. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Nasarawa State University (2023). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022). He is a 2025 CRA Grantee, 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow. Email: basitjamiu1st@gmail.com and basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.

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