Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it had canceled over 175,000 foreign nationals’ visas as part of a broad immigration crackdown that has deprived tens of thousands more people of their travel and immigration rights.
In a statement, the agency said that foreign nationals who “violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S. citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security” were the target of the revocations.
According to the agency, the majority of visas were canceled after “law enforcement encounters,” with violence, drunk driving, theft, and drug offenses being the main reasons.
A person accused of kidnapping and human trafficking, a person charged with felony rape and sexual battery, and a person facing over a dozen counts of possessing child sexual abuse material are among the specific incidents mentioned by the department.
More than 100 visas from “birth tourist” parents who allegedly traveled to the United States primarily to give birth in order to grant their children U.S. citizenship were revoked by a U.S. consulate in North Africa, according to the report.
Additionally, the government announced that it had canceled the passports of other foreigners who “celebrated” conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s murder, including one who claimed he “died too late.”
The administration claimed to have canceled over 100,000 visas in January, setting a record at the time.
The scope of the revocations is a reflection of the widespread immigration crackdown that Trump started when he took office again last year, deporting an unprecedented number of immigrants, some of whom had legitimate visas. Additionally, the government has increased screening and intensified social media vetting as part of its more stringent visa policy.
Human rights experts and rights campaigners have called out the Trump administration’s social media screening initiatives, claiming they are similar to spying and targeting immigrants and endanger free speech.
Also Read – Trump Was Secretly Flown Out of Turkey in a Catering Truck Amid Iranian Assassination Threat, Post Reports