US Visa Revocations Pass 250,000 Under Trump, State Department Says
LATIN AMERICA · MIGRATION
Key Facts
- —The number The US State Department has revoked more than 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, its spokesperson said on 30 September 2026.
- —The pace The total stood at 85,000 in December 2025 and more than 175,000 on 10 August 2026, according to earlier State Department figures.
- —The reasons Officials cite crimes such as assault, drunk driving and theft, broken visa terms, fraud, support for violence and so-called birth tourism (about 2,300 cases).
- —The Caribbean link The US consul in the Dominican Republic confirmed in August that Dominicans were among the travellers who lost visas over birth tourism.
- —Still unknown The department has published no breakdown of the 250,000 by country, visa type or reason.
US visa revocations have passed 250,000 under the second Trump administration, and the count has grown by about 75,000 since early August.
The US State Department said on 30 September 2026 that it has revoked more than 250,000 visas since January 2025. The total has risen sharply since August, when it stood above 175,000.
A new official count
Tommy Pigott, the State Department spokesperson, announced the figure on X at 2:50 p.m. Washington time on Wednesday. The State Department is the US foreign ministry, and it issues and cancels visas.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio, the State Department has now revoked more than 250,000 visas,” Pigott wrote. Marco Rubio is the US secretary of state.
Fox News first reported the number, and the Dominican daily Diario Libre carried it that evening. Pigott called it “a historic milestone” in protecting Americans, Diario Libre reported.
He added that every visa decision is a national security decision. A US visa, he said, is a privilege and not a right.
How fast the number has grown
The count has climbed in steps. In December 2025, the department said it had revoked 85,000 visas that year, including those of 8,000 international students.
An official said then that this was more than double the previous year’s figure under President Joe Biden. On 10 August 2026, the department put the total above 175,000.
The new figure means about 75,000 more revocations in the seven weeks to 30 September. Between December and August, about eight months, the count grew by about 90,000.
The department has not explained the faster pace. It has also given no breakdown of the 250,000 by nationality, visa type or reason.
Why visas are being cancelled
Officials list several grounds. They include breaking the terms of a visa, committing crimes, calling for violence against Americans, defrauding Americans and abusing the immigration system.
Most of the revocations reported in August followed encounters with police. Assault, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, theft and drug crimes led the list, Diario Libre reported.
Other cases involved reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement. About 2,300 visas were revoked over birth tourism, the department said.
Birth tourism means travelling to the United States mainly to give birth there. A child born on US soil receives US citizenship, which is why the practice draws official attention.
The Caribbean link: Dominican travellers and birth tourism
In August, William Swaney, the US consul in the Dominican Republic, said Dominicans were among those who lost visas over birth tourism. He did not know how many, Diario Libre reported.
At that time, he said, about 600 visas worldwide had been cancelled for that reason. By 30 September the department’s count had reached about 2,300.
Swaney said paying the hospital bill does not make such a trip legal. A visitor visa does not cover travel whose main purpose is to give birth, he explained.
He said genuine emergencies, such as a pregnant traveller forced to stop by doctors, are rare. They must be backed by medical records showing the birth was not planned.
A larger plan aimed at asylum seekers
The administration has also prepared to revoke up to 200,000 business and tourist visas, known as B1 and B2. They would be visas issued from 2016 to 2026 to people who later sought asylum.
The plan was not final in late August and could face court challenges, Diario Libre reported, citing The Associated Press. A revoked visa would not necessarily mean immediate deportation.
Christopher Landau, the deputy secretary of state, defended the approach on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration laws”, he wrote.
Courts push back on parts of the agenda
Visa revocation rests largely with the State Department, but other immigration measures have met limits in court. On 21 August a New York federal judge, Jeannette Vargas, struck down a pause on immigrant visas for 75 countries.
In late June, the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, Diario Libre reported. Courts have not always ruled against the government.
In September, the Supreme Court let deportations to third countries resume, as we reported. Enforcement inside the country has also widened, with ICE arrests of Cubans up sharply this year.
What it means for visa holders in the region
For travellers from Latin America and the Caribbean, visas already issued remain under review. Pigott said the department now checks visa holders continuously and on a very large scale.
A revoked visa can no longer be used to enter the United States. For people already inside, it does not by itself mean immediate deportation, Diario Libre reported.
The department’s next detailed breakdown, if it publishes one, would show which countries and visa types account for the rise.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many US visas has the Trump administration revoked?
More than 250,000 since January 2025, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on 30 September 2026. The figure was above 175,000 on 10 August 2026.
Why are US visas being revoked?
The department cites crimes such as assault, drunk driving and theft, as well as broken visa terms and fraud. About 2,300 visas were revoked over birth tourism.
Are Caribbean travellers affected?
Yes. In August the US consul in the Dominican Republic confirmed that Dominicans were among those who lost visas over birth tourism. No country breakdown of the 250,000 has been published.
Sources: US State Department (spokesperson Tommy Pigott on X) · US State Department on X · Diario Libre · Diario Libre · Diario Libre · Diario Libre · Diario Libre
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