Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration is preparing to revoke as many as 200,000 business and tourist visas from foreigners who entered the United States temporarily and later applied for asylum, potentially the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history.
The State Department said Monday it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify holders of B1 business and B2 tourist visas who subsequently sought asylum. The targeted visas were issued between 2016 and 2026, according to the Associated Press.
Revocation would not automatically mean immediate deportation. People with pending asylum cases generally can remain while those claims proceed, but they would lose their underlying visitor status and could face greater immigration scrutiny.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau argued that the asylum system has been overwhelmed by “frivolous” claims from people who originally represented themselves as temporary visitors.
The administration says the policy is intended to prevent misuse of legal immigration channels. Critics argue that applying for asylum after legally entering the country is permitted under federal law and that circumstances in a person’s home country can change after arrival.
The State Department has already revoked more than 175,000 visas since Trump returned to office as the administration expands immigration enforcement beyond people who entered the country illegally.
Officials have not announced when the new revocations will begin.
Sources
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