State Department Imposes Visa Restrictions on Officials Who Facilitate Illegal Immigration

‘These measures will continue until ... there are policies in place and existing laws are enforced,’ Rubio said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a joint news conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Feb. 6, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters

The State Department announced on March 5 that it is imposing visa restrictions on foreign officials who facilitate illegal immigration into the United States.

The new policy will impact airport, port authority, customs, and immigration officials in other countries who “knowingly facilitate the transit of aliens intending to illegally immigrate into the United States via the U.S. southwest border,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.