Trump Eyes Mass Visa Revocations for 200K Asylum Seekers

By Staff, Agencies

The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreign nationals who entered the United States on business or tourism visas before later seeking asylum, The Guardian reported, citing a State Department announcement.

According to a State Department spokesperson, the department is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify people whose visitor visas could be revoked after they applied for asylum.

The agencies say they aim to “identify and revoke” visas belonging to foreigners who entered as short-term visitors but later sought to remain in the US permanently through asylum.

While the State Department has not disclosed how many people could be affected, Associated Press documents indicate the measure could target up to 200,000 individuals. If implemented on that scale, it would constitute the largest single mass visa revocation in US history.

The planned action reportedly covers B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.

Although these visas are intended for temporary business and tourism visits, revoking them would not automatically result in deportation.

Many affected individuals have asylum applications pending and would continue through the asylum process, but would lose their previous visitor classification.

Meanwhile, the administration has defended the move as part of its broader crackdown on what it describes as abuse of the asylum system.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau claimed that the immigration system “has long been swamped by frivolous asylum claims,” while the State Department said earlier this month that more than 175,000 visas had already been revoked under the Trump administration.

Since returning to office, Trump has expanded immigration enforcement through visa cancellations, green card revocations and wider deportation operations, arguing that the measures are needed to strengthen border security and protect US interests.

However, rights organizations have accused the administration of undermining due process and fueling fear among immigrant communities.

They argue that seeking asylum after legally entering the United States is permitted under US law and should not automatically be treated as evidence of abuse.

The latest move comes as Washington also tightens restrictions on legal immigration, including higher costs for some employment-based visa applicants. Several elements of Trump’s immigration policies have already faced legal challenges in US courts.