The Trump administration is preparing for what could become the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history, targeting up to 200,000 foreigners who entered the country on business or tourist visas and later applied for asylum.
According to State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press and two U.S. officials, the administration is considering revoking B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who have sought or are currently seeking asylum in the United States.
The move, which is expected to be carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, could be announced in the coming weeks.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the government is working with DHS to identify foreign nationals who entered the U.S. as short-term visitors but subsequently filed asylum claims in an effort to remain permanently.
He did not confirm how many visas would ultimately be revoked, saying the process would be ongoing and the number could change as cases are reviewed.
Importantly, revocation of a B1 or B2 visa would not automatically mean immediate deportation. Officials said many people with pending asylum cases could remain in the asylum process but would lose their status as business or tourist visa holders.
The move is part of a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s second administration. Since returning to office, the administration has tightened visa screening, expanded scrutiny of applicants’ social media histories, imposed additional financial requirements in some cases and restricted visa issuance for nationals of certain countries.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also criticized the use of tourist and business visas by people who later seek asylum, arguing that the asylum system should not be used as a way to bypass normal immigration rules.
B1 visas are generally issued for temporary business travel, while B2 visas are used for tourism, family visits and medical treatment. Applicants are normally required to demonstrate that their stay in the United States will be temporary and that they intend to return to their home country.
The State Department has already revoked around 175,000 visas over the past 18 months for a variety of reasons, including criminal allegations and other grounds. The proposed action involving asylum applicants, however, would be far broader and could affect as many as 200,000 people.
The proposal could also trigger legal challenges. Courts have recently pushed back against some of the administration’s immigration restrictions, including a policy suspending immigrant visa processing for nationals of dozens of countries.
According to the AP report, screening of existing B1 and B2 visa holders began after the State Department received information from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services about people who had filed asylum applications.
If implemented as planned, the measure would mark an unprecedented expansion of visa revocations and could have major consequences for thousands of asylum seekers currently living in the United States.
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