The Trump administration has continued to enforce federal immigration law by revoking visas of foreign nationals who commit crimes and pose a national security threat. In roughly 20 months, the U.S. State Department has revoked more than 175,000 visas of foreign nationals who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S. citizens, defrauded Americans, abused the immigration system or endangered national security.
Visa Revocation Criteria
Visas were revoked for those with criminal offenses, including assault, driving under the influence, theft and drugs. A significant number included reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintains that a U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right and the State Department will continue to identify, investigate, and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who threaten the safety of the American people.
The State Department revoked visas from criminals who posed a danger to American citizens, endorsed violence against Americans, arranged illegal birth tourism schemes, or engaged in fraud.
Examples of Revoked Visas
Examples include foreign nationals charged with violent crimes of felony rape, sexual battery, felony kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of a minor, sodomy of a child, aggravated sexual battery, domestic violence, possession of child sexual abuse material and a child sex offender pardoned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Visa revocation is occurring worldwide. A U.S. embassy in North Africa revoked more than 100 visas for birth tourist parents who came to the United States primarily to give birth so their children would get U.S. citizenship.
Others’ visas have been revoked after foreign nationals were charged with orchestrating a $5 million Medicaid scam and launching fraudulent companies to swindle millions of dollars from clients.
Additional Measures
Rubio also determined that numerous foreign nationals are deportable on foreign policy grounds, including those connected to the Cuban communist regime and Iranian regime. Last May, he also began visa restrictions for students connected to the Chinese Communist Party.
The State Department also revoked the visas of multiple foreign nationals who celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including one who stated, ‘when fascists die, democrats don’t complain’ and another who said he ‘died too late.’
Last September, Rubio implemented a policy restricting and revoking visas to foreigners who celebrate the death of U.S. citizens. It has received scrutiny by First Amendment advocates who argue that protected speech includes speech celebrating political assassinations.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
