The United States has revoked more than 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office, as the administration intensifies vetting of foreign nationals seeking to enter the country.
The State Department disclosed the figure as the Trump administration steps up enforcement against visa violations, criminal activity, fraud and other conduct it considers grounds for revocation.
A State Department spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, said more than 250,000 visas had been revoked under Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to the department, the revocations involved people who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, defrauded Americans, abused the immigration system, supported violence against the United States or posed national security concerns.
More than 2,300 of the revoked visas were linked to birth tourism, involving foreign nationals who travelled to the US specifically to give birth.
The department also said a significant number of visa revocations followed law-enforcement encounters involving offences including assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug-related crimes.
Other cases involved reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement, according to the State Department.
The latest figure comes after the State Department revoked more than 175,000 visas in August, with officials saying most of those cases were connected to encounters with law enforcement over various criminal offences.
The administration has also been pursuing other immigration measures, including increased screening and vetting of visa applicants and changes affecting asylum seekers and other categories of foreign nationals.
The State Department said the visa revocations form part of its broader effort to enforce US immigration laws and strengthen screening of people seeking entry into the country.
(The Whistler)
