US reportedly preparing to revoke up to 200,000 visas of asylum seekers
Key Points(5)
- government is preparing to revoke the business and tourist visas of as many as 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, according to a report by The Associated Press.
- If implemented, the move would represent the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S.
- history and could face legal challenges.
- Citing State Department documents it obtained and two U.S.
- officials, the AP reported that the State Department is expected to announce the revocation of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who later sought asylum in the United States.
The U.S. government is preparing to revoke the business and tourist visas of as many as 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, according to a report by The Associated Press.
If implemented, the move would represent the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history and could face legal challenges.
Citing State Department documents it obtained and two U.S. officials, the AP reported that the State Department is expected to announce the revocation of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who later sought asylum in the United States.
The action is expected to be carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.
“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,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told the AP.
Pigott did not confirm how many visas could ultimately be affected, saying the number would remain fluid as revocations are carried out on a rolling basis.
According to the AP, losing a B1 or B2 visa would not automatically result in immediate deportation. Officials said many people with pending asylum cases would instead be recategorized while losing their status as business or tourist travelers.
The reported plans come as the Trump administration continues to tighten immigration and visa policies.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Monday criticized the use of visitor visas by people who subsequently apply for asylum in the United States.
“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn't supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”
He cited the case of a Colombian national who entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2015 and subsequently applied for asylum.
B1 visas are generally issued to people traveling temporarily to the United States for business, while B2 visas cover travel for purposes including tourism, visiting family and receiving medical treatment.
It remains unclear exactly how many B1 and B2 visa holders have sought asylum and would be affected by the planned action.
Current applicants for the visas are required to demonstrate that they intend to leave the United States after their temporary stay.
The potential mass revocation would follow a broader increase in visa enforcement by the State Department. According to the AP, the department has revoked approximately 175,000 visas over the past 18 months involving people convicted or accused of crimes, as well as some people who publicly opposed U.S. policies.
The administration has also increased scrutiny of so-called birth tourism, in which foreign women travel to the United States to give birth, allowing their children to acquire U.S. citizenship at birth.
According to the AP, State Department documents indicate that the review of existing B1 and B2 visa holders began after the department received information about asylum applications from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
