- The State Department revoked over 175,000 visas as of August tenth, twenty twenty-six, citing criminal activity.
- Major revocation causes include driving under the influence, assault, theft, and violations of visa terms.
- Screening now includes five years of social media history to identify potential national security threats.
The State Department said Monday, August 10, 2026, that it had revoked more than 175,000 visas under the Trump administration, with most cases tied to criminal activity and alleged visa violations.
The department listed assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug crimes as the leading causes. It also cited reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement.
The tally exceeds the more than 100,000 revocations reported in January. The Office of the Spokesperson issued the announcement.
Officials also cited foreign nationals who violated visa terms, defrauded Americans, abused the immigration system or endangered national security. The department said its reviews relied on “continuous vetting.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the department would continue pursuing people officials view as threats to Americans.
“Under President Trump, the State Department will continue to identify and revoke the visas of foreigners who endanger our citizens and will always put the safety of Americans first.”
The department highlighted a foreign national charged with felony rape and sexual battery involving a mentally disabled victim. It also cited another person facing charges involving child sexual abuse material.
The reported breakdown includes criminal conduct and visa categories
A reported breakdown places the largest identified groups among driving, assault and theft cases. Drug-related offenses also ranked among the leading causes, although the material does not give them a separate total.
| Category | Reported revocations |
|---|---|
| All visas | More than 175,000 |
| Driving under the influence | About 16,000 |
| Assault-related offenses | About 12,000 |
| Theft and burglary | About 8,000 |
| Student visas in the F, J and M categories | More than 8,000 |
| Specialized-worker visas in the H-1B and L-1 categories | About 2,500 |
The department’s broader list includes reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement. The figures combine conduct-based cases with visa-category totals, rather than presenting one mutually exclusive list.
Tommy Pigott, a department spokesperson, said officials would not tolerate conduct they associate with threats to public safety.
“The bottom line is this: we are not going to allow foreigners here on visas to drive drunk on our streets, to assault our people, to steal from our stores. We are not going to do it. We are going to protect the American people. Every visa decision is a national security decision.”
The additional reported figures include more than 8,000 student visas in the F, J and M categories. They also include about 2,500 specialized-worker visas in the H-1B and L-1 categories.
Officials cited charges, visa violations and national-security concerns
The department framed the revocations as part of a continuing review of foreign nationals’ conduct and compliance. Its announcement grouped criminal activity with violations of visa terms, fraud against Americans, immigration-system abuse and threats to national security.
The examples included a felony rape and sexual battery charge involving a mentally disabled victim. Another involved charges related to child sexual abuse material.
Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, described a visa as a “conditional privilege” rather than a right. He also referred to the administration’s “new focus on denaturalization” and linked the cancellations to a wider public-safety effort.
The department’s statement said officials would “identify, investigate, and revoke the visas of foreign nationals who threaten the safety of the American people.”
That language covers more than ordinary criminal categories. Officials also cited people accused of calling for violence against U.S. citizens, endorsing violence against Americans or engaging in illegal birth tourism schemes.
Online activity has become part of the review
Expanded screening includes five years of social media history. The department cited foreign nationals whose online activity allegedly involved calls for violence against U.S. citizens or endorsements of violence against Americans.
Officials also said some foreign nationals celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk. One cited individual allegedly commented that he “died too late.”
Rights advocates have criticized the screening as a threat to free speech and as surveillance directed at immigrants. NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, has also been identified as opposing the approach.
Constitutional scholar Kim Wehle said the government has broad authority over visas but raised due-process concerns about decisions connected to arrests before criminal cases reach a final outcome. Her concern centers on the use of unresolved allegations and online expression in immigration decisions.
The administration has presented the reviews as security decisions. Critics have questioned whether the process gives affected people enough opportunity to challenge information used against them.
More than 100 birth-tourism visas were revoked in North Africa cases
The department said it revoked more than 100 visas belonging to “birth tourist” parents in North Africa. Officials said those travelers came to the United States primarily to give birth.
The department described the cases as “illegal birth tourism schemes.” It placed them among matters involving visa compliance and alleged abuse of the immigration system.
The birth-tourism cases therefore form a separate part of the announcement from the criminal categories that officials identified as driving most revocations. The same statement also referred to foreign nationals who defrauded Americans or violated the terms of their visas.
The department said its policy would continue. Future decisions may draw on criminal allegations, immigration records, online activity and the stated purpose of travel.
Rubio’s stated policy is to “identify, investigate, and revoke” visas involving foreign nationals officials believe threaten the safety of Americans. The announcement did not provide a new total beyond the more than 175,000 visas cited on August 10, 2026.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
