Rubio has warned that visas are a privilege, not a right, as the US State Department faces legal challenges over stricter immigration measures.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated that visas are “not a right” and warned that the United States will revoke them if foreign visitors engage in activities that threaten national security.
Speaking at a joint press availability in Budapest alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Rubio said the US had revoked visas in numerous cases over the past year. He stressed that a visa is permission to enter the country as a visitor and not a constitutional entitlement.
He clarified that the policy applies to all temporary visa categories, including students, tourists and journalists. Rubio warned that individuals who undertake activities deemed contrary to US national interest after entering the country could have their visas withdrawn, adding that such visas would likely not have been issued had authorities anticipated those actions.
Immigration policy faces legal challenge
The policy shift has been challenged in court, with a coalition of immigration advocacy groups, lawyers and several US citizens filing a lawsuit against Rubio and the US State Department in a federal court in New York, seeking revocation of the order.
Suspension of visas for 75 countries
Reinforcing his hardline stance on immigration, Rubio also pointed to a recent decision by the State Department to pause immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, citing concerns that migrants from those nations rely on welfare at what officials described as unacceptable rates.
Officials said the suspension affects dozens of countries, including Somalia, Haiti, Iran, Cuba and Eritrea, whose immigrants are alleged to become public charges in the United States upon arrival.
End of Article
