US plans record visa revocation targeting up to 200,000 people

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States could have their business and tourism visas revoked under a plan being prepared by the Trump administration. If carried out, the action would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history and would likely face legal challenges. Unless challenged or revised, the State Department is expected to announce in the coming weeks the revocation of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who have sought asylum or are currently seeking it, according to State Department documents obtained byThe Associated Pressand two U.S. officials. The action will be taken in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. "We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said. Pigott declined to comment on how many visas could be affected. "As the process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis," he said. The revocations would not necessarily result in immediate deportations, officials said. Most people with pending asylum cases would be recategorized but would lose their status as business or tourism travelers, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the revocations have not been finalized. B1 visas are generally issued for business trips, while B2 visas are generally issued for tourism, family visits or medical care. It was not immediately clear how many visa holders have sought or are seeking asylum and would be affected. Current applicants for B1 and B2 visas are asked to affirm that they will not apply for asylum in the United States and to prove that they intend to return to their home countries. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Monday criticized people he said use tourist and business visas to enter the United States and then seek asylum. "People in the US 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 planned action comes as the Trump administration has tightened restrictions on visa applicants since President Donald Trump began his second term last year. Measures have included demands for more information about applicants' social media histories, expensive bonds for processing some visas, and bans on issuing visas to citizens of certain countries. Over the past 18 months, the State Department has revoked about 175,000 visas for people convicted or accused of crimes ranging from drunken driving to rape and robbery, as well as people who have publicly spoken out against U.S. policies, particularly in the Middle East. State Department documents obtained indicate that screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after the department received information about asylum requests from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.