Visa Revocations and Extra Checks Slow Crossings for US-Mexico Border Families

The State Department has established a task force aimed at stopping foreigners from obtaining U.S. citizenship for children born in the United States, an enforcement effort ordered by the Trump administration in August. The move has led to thousands of visa revocations and enhanced questioning at border crossings, disrupting daily life for families in sister cities like El Paso and Ciudad Juarez.

Key facts

• The task force was established in August 2026 by the State Department.
• The State Department said it has revoked thousands of visas, including those of border parents, but did not give a specific number.
• Mexican visitors use border crossing cards, which are non-immigrant visas for short-term visits only.
• Canadians do not need border crossing cards or other tourist visas for short-term trips to the U.S.
• Enhanced inspections and questioning are being reported at ports of entry such as the Paso del Norte International Bridge.

What is the task force targeting?

The task force aims to stop foreigners from trying to gain U.S. citizenship for their U.S.-born children. Immigration attorney Kathleen Walker, based in El Paso, said tourist visa holders should understand that travel for pleasure does not include travel for the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the U.S.

Who is affected?

Thousands of Mexicans with border crossing cards can visit U.S. cities along the border from Brownsville to San Diego. These cards allow short-term visits only. Mexicans face scrutiny both when they apply for the visa and whenever they visit, with Customs and Border Protection officers assessing whether travellers are telling the truth when entering the U.S.

Canadians do not need border crossing cards or other tourist visas for short-term trips to the United States.

What is happening at the border?

Mexican parents with border crossing cards report being asked new questions about why their children were born in the United States. One mother from Ciudad Juarez said she was taken into a room for further questioning, had her fingerprints and photograph taken, and was searched by a Customs and Border Protection officer.

The State Department said it has revoked thousands of visas, including those of border parents, but did not provide an overall number, say how many were on the border, or confirm whether there is a policy to question Mexican visitors about their U.S.-born children.

What this means for travellers

Some parents with visitor visas are avoiding crossing the border altogether. One mother pulled her son out of a private elementary school in El Paso, ending his after-school activities there. Others report that grandmothers are now taking children to school, and that Customs and Border Protection officers ask why the mother did not come and whether she is afraid her visa will be taken away.

Travellers holding U.S. non-immigrant visas, including border crossing cards, should be aware that officers may ask about the purpose of travel and family circumstances when entering the United States.

The source does not state what further steps the task force will take or whether new procedures will be formally announced.