About Ask the Expert:
Ask the Expert is a section of Enlace Latino NC where you'll find clear and helpful answers from professionals in various fields, including health, wellness, economics and finance, immigration, and more. Specialists share their knowledge to guide our Latino community and answer the most frequently asked questions we receive.
This column is sponsored by William J. Vásquez, founding attorney, Vásquez Law Firm, PLLC
You arrive at the counter. Passport, valid visa, stamp, everything. The agent types. She stops. She looks up.
And he tells her that he cannot board.
Her visa has been canceled for weeks. The notice was sent by email — to that account she opened six years ago for the application and never checked again.
On August 10, 2026, the State Department announced that it had revoked more than 175,000 visas of foreign nationals under the Trump administration, citing violations of visa terms, crimes, fraud, abuse of the immigration system, and national security concerns.
It wasn't a single operation. It's an accumulation since January 2025. It represents more than 10,000 monthly revocations in 2026, compared to the total of more than 100,000 announced in January.
Where do they come from? Most were revoked after encounters with law enforcement. The main reasons were assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug offenses. A significant number were for reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud, and embezzlement.
The Department said its reviews are based on “continuous verification,” and that future decisions may be based on criminal allegations, immigration history, online activity, and the stated purpose of the trip.
Continuous verification. Those two words change everything. Your visa wasn't just checked on the day of your interview. It's being checked right now, while you sleep.
What worries us lawyers. The fact that most cancellations stem from “encounters with law enforcement” has raised concerns among immigration lawyers, who warn that visas are being revoked for minor encounters or for charges that never went through a judicial process.
Understand the catch: In immigration matters, an arrest can still have legal weight even if the criminal case has been dismissed. The dropped charge doesn't erase the record of the encounter. And to revoke a visa A conviction is not necessary. Not a judge. Not a hearing.
His criminal defense attorney told him the case was closed. He was right—in his court. In the immigration world, that case remains open.
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Speak to a lawyer before traveling if:
- He was arrested or charged with something, even though the case was dismissed.
- He has a DUI, even if it's from ten years ago.
- He has a migration history: expired stay, previous denial, entry without inspection
- Your application contains incorrect or incomplete information.
- He has been out of the country for a long time
And do it before From the airport, from the embassy, from the appointment. Not afterwards.
Because at the inspection desk, you no longer have a lawyer, time, or a second call. You have an agent waiting for an answer.
Fight before. Not when there's nothing left to fight for.
I FIGHT® FOR YOU. Free consultations: 1-844-967-3536.
Remember: 👀 This article is sponsored content. lawyer William Vásquez.
Enlace Latino NC This organization does not offer legal advice or services. The information presented here is for educational purposes only. The opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of their authors.
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