US revokes record 300,000-plus visas under Rubio

The US State Department has revoked over 300,000 visas under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing criminal activity, immigration violations, fraud and public safety concerns. More than 4,000 cancellations involved birth tourism, including over 700 Chinese nationals 

Washington:  The State Department said that it had revoked more than 300,000 visas under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling it the highest number in American history, as the Trump administration presses ahead with a sweeping review of foreign nationals holding US visas.

The figures were released in a thread on the department’s official X account late on Saturday evening. “Under @SecRubio’s leadership, the State Department has undertaken an unprecedented review of US visa holders, resulting in the revocations of over 300,000 visas — the most in American history,” the department said.

---

It said most of the cancellations were linked to criminal conduct or eligibility problems. “The vast majority of these revocations were due to criminal activity, public safety concerns, immigration violations, fraud or misrepresentation, or other information indicating the individual was no longer eligible for a visa,” the State Department said.

Birth tourism, the practice of travelling to the United States to give birth so that a child acquires American citizenship, accounted for a separate category. “Over 4,000 visas have been revoked for birth tourism alone,” the department said, adding: “Among the 4,000 visas revoked for birth tourism, over 700 belonged to Chinese nationals.”

The thread also gave figures for a new vetting unit set up inside the Bureau of Consular Affairs. “In 2025, the Bureau of Consular Affairs established a Continuous Vetting Center in Washington, D.C., which revoked over 23,000 of these visas,” it said.

According to the department, the majority of those revocations by the centre were for criminal activity or other public safety concerns. It said 25 per cent were for assault and related crimes, 22 per cent for driving under the influence, 7 per cent for theft and 7 per cent for substance abuse or distribution.

“A visa is a privilege, not a right. Under @SecRubio’s leadership, we will continue to ensure that those who violate our laws are not permitted to remain in our country,” it said.

The thread did not give a country-wise breakdown of the revocations, other than the figure for Chinese nationals in the birth tourism category. It did not say how many of the cancelled visas were held by Indian nationals, who are among the largest groups of students and skilled workers in the US.