The Donald Trump administration is preparing to cancel the business and tourist visas of as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for asylum in the United States or are currently seeking it, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press and two US officials.
If implemented, the move could become the largest mass visa revocation in US history and may face legal challenges.
The proposed action would target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who later applied for asylum. The State Department is expected to begin announcing the revocations in the coming weeks, with the process being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.
State Department Explains Visa Action
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the government is working with DHS to identify foreign nationals who entered the country as short-term visitors before seeking asylum.
“We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” Pigott said.
He did not give a final number of visas that could be cancelled, saying the figure could change as the review continues.
“As the process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis,” Pigott said.
Visa Cancellation May Not Mean Immediate Deportation
US officials said cancelling the visas would not automatically result in immediate deportation.
People whose asylum applications are still being considered could remain in the country while their cases are processed, but they would no longer hold their B1 or B2 visitor status.
The officials spoke anonymously because the proposed visa cancellations have not yet been finalised.
Trump Administration Tightens Visa Rules
The latest move is part of a broader tightening of US immigration and visa policies under President Trump.
The administration has introduced additional scrutiny of visa applicants, including checks of social media activity and other information. It has also introduced visa bond requirements and restricted visa issuance for citizens of certain countries.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticised people who use visitor visas before seeking asylum in the US.
“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X.
He added: “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”
Landau referred to the case of a Colombian national who entered the US on a tourist visa in 2015 before applying for asylum.
What Are B1 And B2 Visas?
A B1 visa is generally issued to people travelling to the US for business purposes.
A B2 visa is mainly used for tourism, visiting family or seeking certain medical treatment.
The documents reviewed by AP did not clearly establish how many B1 and B2 visa holders who have sought asylum would ultimately be affected by the proposed action.
People applying for these visas are currently required to indicate that they do not intend to seek asylum in the US and must demonstrate that they plan to return to their home countries.
Thousands Of Visas Already Revoked
The State Department has already cancelled around 175,000 visas during the past 18 months, according to the report. Those cases included people convicted or accused of offences ranging from drunk driving to serious crimes such as rape and robbery.
The administration has also taken action against what it calls birth tourism, involving foreign nationals travelling to the US to give birth so their children can obtain citizenship under US law.
The latest visa development comes alongside another proposed immigration-related measure. The US Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $103,265 fee for certain H-1B applications, a move that could substantially increase the cost of hiring skilled foreign workers and have a major impact on Indian professionals.
