US Preparing Mass Revocation of Visitor Visas for Asylum Seekers

The United States Department of State is preparing to cancel the business and tourism visas of foreign nationals who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the country, according to official statements and news reports released on Monday. The State Department confirmed that it is actively coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify affected visa holders, though official government statements did not state the precise number of individuals who will ultimately lose their visas under the policy.

However, reporting by the Associated Press, citing State Department documents and two unnamed U.S. officials, put the potential number of impacted travelers at up to 200,000. If fully implemented, news reports note that the action would represent the largest single mass revocation of visas in United States history. The measure targets nonimmigrant B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to holders who have sought or are presently seeking asylum. B1 and B2 visas are generally issued for temporary purposes such as business travel, tourism, family visits, or medical care.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the joint agency effort, stating that officials are working to target visitors who “file for asylum to stay here permanently.” Pigott declined to give an exact total for the revocations, noting that the count “remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis.” The State Department is expected to formally announce the revocations within the coming weeks.

According to U.S. officials cited by the Associated Press, revoking the visas will not automatically result in immediate deportations. Instead, most foreign nationals with active asylum claims will be recategorized into a separate immigration category, losing their formal designation as business or tourist travelers while their asylum cases continue to move through the immigration court system. Applicants for B1 and B2 visas are currently required to affirm that they will not seek asylum and must show intent to return to their home countries, though it remains unclear how many current visa holders have submitted asylum claims.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the planned revocations on the social media platform X on Monday. Landau alleged that the American immigration system “has long been swamped by frivolous asylum claims,” writing that “people in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims.” He added that “asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law,” referencing an example of a Colombian national who entered the country on a tourist visa in 2015 before applying for asylum.

Background

The visa cancellation plan is part of a broader set of immigration restrictions implemented during President Donald Trump’s second term. Over the past 18 months, the State Department has revoked approximately 175,000 visas. Those revocations involved individuals convicted or accused of crimes ranging from drunk driving to robbery and rape, as well as foreign nationals who publicly criticized U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the Middle East.

Additional administration measures have included expanding social media background checks for visa applicants, requiring high-cost financial bonds for visa processing, raising fees on work visa applications, banning visa issuance for citizens of specific nations, and attempting to end birthright citizenship—an effort repeatedly blocked by courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Rights organizations argue these policies infringe on due process and free speech while creating risks of racial profiling, while the administration maintains the actions are necessary to strengthen national security.