The Trump administration is preparing for what would amount to the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history, targeting the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States.
These are nonimmigrant visas. B-1 and especially B-2 tourist visas are the nonimmigrant visas most frequently used and most often taken advantage of by people who later file for asylum after entering the United States legally. They are intended for short-term visitors who are expected to return home after their stay.
According to State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press and two U.S. officials who were not authorized to discuss the plans publicly because the plan is not yet final, the action focuses on B-1 business and B-2 tourism visas issued between 2016 and 2026.
DHS data from the past decade show that roughly 38% of affirmative asylum applicants who reported their entry status arrived on B-1 or B-2 visas, with 32% entering specifically on B-2 tourist visas.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the department is working with DHS to identify and revoke visas of foreigners who entered as short-term visitors and then filed for asylum. He declined to confirm the 200,000 figure, saying the number remains dynamic and will proceed on a rolling basis.
Under INA § 212(a)(6)(C)(i) (8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(6)(C)(i)), obtaining a temporary visa by fraud or willful misrepresentation of a material fact provides grounds for revocation. The administration is targeting those misusing the system by treating asylum as a pathway to permanent residency rather than the narrow protection it was designed to provide for people facing genuine persecution.
If implemented as planned, the revocations would not necessarily result in their immediate deportation. Most individuals with pending asylum cases would instead see their status recategorized; they would lose their status as business or tourism travelers but could continue pursuing their asylum claims through the appropriate channels. The precise number of affected visas remains dynamic and is expected to proceed on a rolling basis, with an official announcement anticipated in the coming weeks unless the plan is revised or blocked.
This initiative builds on an already aggressive pace of visa enforcement under President Donald J. Trump’s second term, which began in January 2025.
Earlier this month, the State Department announced it has revoked more than 175,000 visas since January 2025, many linked to criminal convictions or other violations. The proposed action would roughly double that total and marks a significant escalation in efforts to tighten controls on temporary visitors who later seek to remain indefinitely.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has described asylum as a loophole used to circumvent immigration law. The number of cases in which people enter on tourist or business visas and then file asylum claims undermines the nonimmigrant visa system, officials have pointed out. Current applicants must already affirm they will not seek asylum and show intent to return home.
Since taking office, President Trump, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has steadily tightened visa rules, including demands for social media histories, costly bonds, bans on certain countries, and crackdowns on birth tourism. These steps form part of a broader effort to curb both illegal entries and the improper use of legal pathways.
The revocation of these visas would terminate the individuals’ prior nonimmigrant status but permit their asylum claims to proceed. Officials indicate the process will be implemented gradually rather than all at once.
