The United States has introduced a new global visa restriction policy targeting individuals involved in cybercrime, cyberscams and sextortion, with immediate family members of offenders also facing possible visa restrictions under the new measures.
Announced on Thursday by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the policy forms part of the Trump administration’s efforts to combat online fraud, cyber-enabled crime and transnational criminal networks targeting Americans.
According to the U.S. government, the restrictions will apply to individuals responsible for or complicit in cyber-enabled crimes, including online investment scams and sextortion, regardless of their country of origin.
Announcing the policy, Rubio said the move aligns with President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14390 on combating cybercrime, fraud and predatory schemes targeting Americans.
He described online investment scams as a growing threat, noting that they are “often orchestrated by Chinese transnational criminal organizations.”
