The U.S. government has revoked more than 175,000 visas held by foreign nationals since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. The figure was announced by the U.S. Department of State. In January 2026, the department had reported more than 100,000 visa revocations.
According to the State Department, commonly cited reasons include violations of visa conditions, criminal offenses and security concerns. Examples include assault, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), theft and drug-related offenses. Visa fraud and other forms of misuse can also result in revocation.
U.S. authorities are also taking action against so-called birth tourism. This refers to travel whose primary purpose is giving birth in the United States so that the child acquires U.S. citizenship. According to the State Department, one U.S. diplomatic post in North Africa alone revoked more than 100 visas in connection with birth tourism. The department explicitly states that birth tourism is not a permissible basis for the issuance of a visitor visa.
The development is part of a broader tightening of visa screening and vetting. Since March 30, 2026, for example, the U.S. Department of State has expanded online presence reviews to additional categories of nonimmigrant visa applicants.
The figures do not mean that ordinary traffic violations generally result in the loss of a U.S. visa. Among the traffic-related offenses specifically cited by the State Department is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Individual circumstances and the applicable legal requirements remain decisive.
Relevance: The development illustrates that an issued visa is not necessarily left untouched until its expiration date. People living or working abroad or regularly traveling to the United States should be aware that visa holders may remain subject to review after issuance. This is particularly relevant in cases involving criminal offenses, violations of visa conditions or conduct authorities consider visa misuse. The stricter U.S. approach could also become relevant beyond the United States: other countries may introduce comparable screening and review procedures or tighten existing ones. Whether this will actually happen remains uncertain. For emigrants, the development is therefore also worth watching as a possible signal of a stricter international approach to already issued visas and residence permissions.
