Washington: The Trump administration is preparing a major review of business and tourist visas held by foreign nationals who have applied for asylum in the United States, with as many as 200,000 visas potentially facing revocation, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press and two US officials.
If implemented on the reported scale, the move could become the largest single mass cancellation of US visas. The proposed action is also expected to attract legal scrutiny, particularly over how existing asylum cases and immigration protections would be affected.
B1 and B2 Visa Holders Under Review
The proposed action reportedly targets certain B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.
B1 visas are generally used by foreign nationals travelling to the US for business purposes, while B2 visas cover tourism, family visits and certain medical trips.
According to the documents, the State Department is working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify visa holders who entered the country as temporary visitors and later sought asylum.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed that the departments are coordinating on the issue but did not provide a final figure for the number of visas that could ultimately be revoked.
He said the process would continue on a rolling basis, meaning the total number could change as officials examine individual cases.
Visa Cancellation Would Not Automatically Mean Deportation
The proposed revocations would not necessarily result in the immediate deportation of everyone affected.
Officials familiar with the process said people with pending asylum claims could remain subject to their existing immigration proceedings even after losing their B1 or B2 visa classification.
The distinction is important because visa status and asylum proceedings are separate elements of the US immigration system.
The administration’s proposed move would therefore primarily change the immigration status associated with the visitor visa rather than automatically ending every pending asylum case.
Trump Administration Expands Visa Enforcement
The reported plan comes as the Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of foreign nationals seeking entry to the United States.
Over the past 18 months, the State Department has introduced or expanded several measures affecting visa applicants, including additional screening of social media activity, visa bond requirements and restrictions affecting nationals of certain countries.
The department has also reported a large number of visa revocations involving people accused or convicted of crimes.
According to information cited in the report, roughly 175,000 visas have been revoked during the past 18 months in cases involving alleged or established criminal conduct, as well as some individuals who publicly expressed views critical of US policies.
Officials Target What They Call Abusive Asylum Claims
Administration officials have increasingly argued that some foreign nationals misuse temporary visitor visas by entering the US and subsequently seeking asylum.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau addressed the issue in a social media post, arguing that asylum protections should not be used as a way to bypass immigration restrictions.
The administration’s position is that people applying for B1 or B2 visas should demonstrate that their intended stay is temporary and that they plan to return to their home countries.
Current applicants are also required to affirm that they will not seek asylum in the United States.
How Authorities Identify Potential Cases
The State Department documents reportedly indicate that the screening process for existing B1 and B2 visa holders began after the department received information about asylum applications from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Officials can then examine whether a person’s circumstances are consistent with the purpose under which the original visitor visa was issued.
The review could result in individual visa cancellations rather than a single action affecting all people who have ever applied for asylum after entering the US on a visitor visa.
Possible Legal Challenges Ahead
Because the reported plan could affect a large number of foreign nationals, immigration lawyers and advocacy groups are likely to closely examine the administration’s authority to revoke existing visas and how the action interacts with pending asylum proceedings.
The administration, meanwhile, has indicated that the review is part of a broader effort to ensure that temporary visas are used for their intended purposes.
The final number of affected visa holders remains uncertain. State Department officials have stressed that the process is ongoing and that any revocations would be handled on a rolling basis.
Broader Immigration Crackdown
The proposed visa action forms part of a wider immigration strategy under President Donald Trump.
The administration has also sought to restrict so-called birth tourism, while continuing efforts to change rules surrounding birthright citizenship. Those efforts have faced legal challenges, with courts blocking or limiting some of the administration’s actions.
The potential cancellation of up to 200,000 visitor visas would represent another significant step in the administration’s attempt to tighten immigration enforcement.
For now, however, the exact number of visas that could be revoked and the final scope of the policy remain subject to the ongoing review.
