In a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Thursday (October 1, 2026), State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasized that every visa determination represents a critical national security decision, underscoring that a US visa remains a privilege rather than a right. The cancellations targeted foreign nationals involved in visa overstays, criminal activity, calls for violence against Americans, fraud, and threats to national security. Key enforcement metrics include the revocation of 2,300 visas linked to 'birth tourism' schemes and recent cancellations affecting 27 current and former Latin American officials facing corruption charges. Furthermore, State Department officials initiated the revocation of approximately 200,000 B1/B2 business and tourism visas for individuals who filed asylum claims after entry, following an August sweep where 175,000 visas were canceled due to law enforcement encounters involving DUI, theft, assault, and narcotics charges.