The United States State Department announced on August 10 that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals since President Donald Trump returned to office for his second term. The sweeping measure targets individuals who violated visa conditions, committed crimes on American soil, advocated violence against US citizens, defrauded Americans, or posed national security threats.
Leading Causes: Criminal Offenses and Law Enforcement Encounters
According to the department, the majority of cancellations stemmed from law enforcement encounters. "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 in a statement. Other offenses include sexual assault and reckless driving.
Fox News reported that the department highlighted specific cases, 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 Under Scrutiny
Beyond criminal activity, the State Department also targeted birth tourism, where foreign nationals travel to the US specifically to give birth so their children acquire 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 actions, the department stated: "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."
Impact and Commitment to Enforcement
The department added that it remains committed to using every available tool to protect American communities from those who abuse the immigration system. The revocation figure represents a significant escalation in enforcement under the current administration, reflecting its hardline stance on immigration.
This development comes amid broader global immigration enforcement actions. In a related report, 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 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.
The first recorded German operation took place on February 18, when 27 Nigerians arrived at 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.
