Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy targeting those involved in cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime, such as sextortion.
“Often orchestrated by Chinese transnational criminal organizations, scammers have defrauded U.S. citizens of at least $10 billion in 2024 alone while fueling corruption, money laundering, and human trafficking,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “American children also have been specifically targeted by offenders operating overseas for sextortion scams, devastating families and futures.”
Family members of those involved in the criminal activity may also be subject to visa restrictions.
“The Trump Administration is deploying every tool at our disposal—sanctions, prosecutions, asset seizures, extradition requests, and international law enforcement cooperation—to dismantle criminal scam networks and impose costs on those who enable them,” Rubio added. “By restricting visa issuance to those who are responsible for or complicit in these criminal enterprises, we are sending a clear message: The United States will go after those who prey on our citizens.”
In March, President Trump signed an executive order cracking down on cybercrime, fraud, and predatory actions. “The United States shall counter attacks on Americans with a commensurate response that includes law enforcement, diplomacy, and potential offensive actions,” the order read. “It is further the policy of the United States to provide support to victims of these crimes, expand public alerts, and prioritize protection for those most at risk to end the exploitation and victimization of Americans.”
Rubio’s visa action aligns with the order, as it specifically urges the Secretary of State to take steps such as “Targeted sanctions, visa restrictions, trade penalties, and, where appropriate, the immediate expulsion from the United States of foreign officials and diplomats complicit in these schemes.”
