Sweeping US immigration changes take effect as 250,000 visas revoked
WASHINGTON: Sweeping changes to United States immigration policy take effect on October 1 as the Trump administration tightens scrutiny of foreign nationals while the State Department says it has revoked more than 250,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to office. The new federal fiscal year brings changes affecting green card applicants, visa holders, some non-citizens receiving…
On October 1, sweeping changes to United States immigration policy took effect under the Trump administration. Over 250,000 visas have been revoked since President Donald Trump's return to office, according to the State Department. The new fiscal year brings modifications affecting green card applicants, visa holders, certain non-citizens with government health coverage, and individuals seeking specific US visas.
The changes include reopening some employment-based green card categories, stricter eligibility requirements for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programme (CHIP) recipients, and enhanced social-media screening of visa applicants. The State Department reported revoking more than 2,300 visas due to issues like visa condition breaches, criminal activity, fraud, immigration system abuse, and national security concerns.
Additionally, 27 current or former officials and their families from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru had their visas revoked over corruption allegations. The administration plans to revoke up to 200,000 business and tourist visas held by individuals who entered the US on B1 or B2 visas and subsequently applied for asylum, criticizing these cases as "bogus asylum claims" and arguing that the asylum system should protect individuals facing persecution, not bypass immigration restrictions.
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