The United States is set to revoke at least 200,000 visas belonging to foreigners who obtained business or tourism visas but have applied for or are seeking asylum in the country.
The move, which would be the largest mass visa revocation in US history, will be carried out by the Department of State in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and is expected to face legal challenges.
The State Department is expected to revoke B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to holders who have sought asylum or are currently seeking asylum.
B1 visas are generally issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism, family visits and medical care.
“We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the U.S. claiming to be short-term visitors but filed for asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
Pigott said the process would be ongoing, with the number of revocations remaining dynamic and carried out on a rolling basis.
However, the revocations would not necessarily result in immediate deportation. Officials said most people with pending asylum cases would retain their cases but lose their status as business or tourism visitors.
Since President Donald Trump began his second term in 2025, his administration has tightened immigration and visa policies, including increased scrutiny of visa applicants’ social media activity, visa bond requirements and restrictions on visa issuance to citizens of certain countries.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticised those who use tourist and business visas to enter the US before seeking asylum.
“People in the U.S. and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on social media.
“Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”
It was not immediately clear how many visa holders seeking or having previously sought asylum would be affected by the revocations.
The State Department has also revoked about 175,000 visas over the past 18 months involving people convicted or accused of crimes, including drunken driving, rape and robbery, as well as some people who publicly criticised US policies.
The administration has also intensified its efforts against so-called birth tourism, where foreign women travel to the US to give birth so their children can obtain birthright citizenship.
Trump has made several attempts to end birthright citizenship, but courts, including the Supreme Court, have rejected the challenges.
