The United States (US) has revoked more than 600 visas belonging to foreign nationals worldwide as part of a new crackdown announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a statement on August 12, Marco Rubio announced the revocation of over 600 visas held by foreign nationals worldwide, following the establishment of a new Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force by the US State Department.
“American citizenship is not for sale,” he said.
Rubio said the task force had taken the action within its first month as part of efforts to address what the US government describes as exploitation of the country’s immigration laws.
Marco Rubio Confirms More Than 600 Visas Revoked
Rubio said the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force had already taken action to revoke more than 600 visas from foreign nationals across the globe.
The statement did not provide a breakdown showing the nationalities of those whose visas have been revoked.
It also did not identify the individual visa holders or specify how many cases involved each of the activities cited by Rubio.
“In just one month, the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force has taken action to revoke more than 600 visas from foreign nationals across the globe and will continue to safeguard our nation from this abuse,” the statement read.
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The visa revocations form part of the task force’s first month of operations, with the State Department indicating that enforcement will continue.
Marco Rubio said the department would use all available tools to dismantle networks involved in birth tourism and related visa fraud.
Task Force Targets Visa Abuse
Marco Rubio added that the task force was established to review the activities of visa holders and identify networks involved in facilitating birth tourism.
According to the US Secretary of State, some of these networks allegedly coach foreign nationals on how to defraud the US visa system.
He said the networks also arrange travel and accommodation for clients seeking to enter the United States under false or misleading circumstances.
Some operators have also been involved in forging documents as part of efforts to facilitate entry into the United States, according to Rubio.
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The task force is intended to target these networks and the activities associated with them, with the State Department seeking to prevent further exploitation of the visa system.
“The State Department will use all available tools to dismantle birth tourism networks and defend the integrity of U.S. citizenship,” Rubio said.
Secretary Marco Rubio said the measures are intended to protect the integrity of US citizenship and prevent the immigration system from being exploited for purposes that violate American law.
He maintained that US citizenship should not “be treated as something that can be obtained through organized efforts to exploit the country’s laws”.
According to the US government, the task force will continue reviewing visa-holder activities while pursuing networks accused of facilitating the practice.
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