US to deny visas to foreign nationals involved in cybercrime

The United States will deny visas to foreign nationals involved in cybercrime, with potential extensions to their immediate families, according to a recent report by The Register.

The new visa restriction policy, announced on Thursday, targets individuals responsible for or complicit in cybercrime and cyber-enabled crimes, including investment scams and sextortion schemes. In 2024 alone, scammers defrauded U.S. citizens of over $10 billion. While Chinese transnational criminal organizations were specifically mentioned, investigations indicate that many cryptocurrency investment scams are orchestrated from Southeast Asia, often utilizing trafficked individuals in scam compounds. Sextortion schemes, however, are frequently perpetrated by individuals based in West Africa or Southeast Asian countries. This policy leverages authority provided by the Immigration and Nationality Act, a provision previously used to restrict visas for foreign officials who suppress freedom of expression and for those facilitating illegal immigration. The move aims to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them, sending a clear message that the US will pursue those who prey on its citizens.

Source: The Register