WASHINGTON, D.C.: The administration of United States President Donald Trump has revoked more than 300,000 visas issued to foreign nationals, citing criminal offences, immigration violations, fraud and other concerns relating to public safety and national security.
The US Department of State disclosed the figure on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, saying the administration had cancelled visas at a faster rate than previous administrations.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, a State Department official said the revocations were linked to criminal activity, immigration violations, fraud, misrepresentation and information indicating that some visa holders no longer met the requirements for entry into the country.
We are taking, and will continue to take, action to keep our borders, and our nation, secure, the department said.
The official also disclosed that more than 4,000 visas had been revoked in cases involving birth tourism, a practice in which foreign nationals travel to the United States to give birth.
The department provided a breakdown of some of the offences associated with the cancellations. According to the official, assault and related offences accounted for 25 per cent of the revocations, while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs represented 22 per cent.
Theft and cases involving substance abuse or distribution each accounted for seven per cent, the official added.
Earlier on Tuesday, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the administration was intensifying action against foreign nationals who violated US laws, committed fraud or posed threats to national security.
“We have zero tolerance for foreigners here on visas who break the law, commit fraud or undermine our national security,” Pigott wrote on X.
The latest figure marks a significant increase from the more than 175,000 visa revocations reported in August. In January, the State Department had announced that it cancelled more than 100,000 visas, describing the figure as a record at the time.
The growing number of cancellations reflects the Trump administration’s tougher approach to immigration enforcement and its efforts to scrutinise foreign nationals holding US visas.
However, the figures released by the department do not establish that every affected visa holder was convicted of a crime, as the stated grounds for revocation also include immigration violations, fraud, misrepresentation and other eligibility concerns.
The development is likely to draw continued attention from international travellers, students, workers and other foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in the United States, particularly as the administration expands its enforcement measures.
