Trump Administration Reportedly Moves to Revoke Visas for Up to 200,000 Asylum Seekers

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to revoke business and tourist visas for as many as 200,000 foreigners who have applied for asylum in the United States. The State Department is expected to announce the sweeping measure in the coming weeks, according to internal documents and U.S. officials cited by The Associated Press.

The effort would target B1 (business) and B2 (tourism, family visits, medical care) visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to individuals who subsequently sought asylum. This action, if implemented, would mark the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history and could face legal challenges.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated that the department is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of individuals who entered the U.S. claiming short-term visitor status but then filed for asylum to remain permanently. Pigott did not confirm the total number of individuals who could be affected, noting that the revocations would occur on a "rolling basis" and the total remains "dynamic."

Officials told the AP that the move would not automatically result in immediate deportations. Instead, foreigners with pending asylum cases would generally be reclassified but would lose their status as business or tourist travelers.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau previously stated that asylum should not be used as a means to bypass immigration laws. "People in the U.S. 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."

The potential visa revocations are part of a broader crackdown by the administration on what it views as abuse of the U.S. immigration system. The State Department has revoked approximately 175,000 visas over the past 18 months, according to The Associated Press.

Currently, holders of B1 and B2 visas must demonstrate an intention to return to their home countries. The potential revocations come as the administration scrutinizes the immigration system's processes and regulations.