The United States Department of State is set to revoke at least 200,000 visas issued to foreign nationals who entered the country on business or tourism visas but subsequently applied or are seeking to apply for asylum, according to U.S. officials and documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The move, which could become the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history, is being coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security. The affected visas are expected to include B1 business and B2 tourism visas issued between 2016 and 2026.
A State Department spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, said the process would be carried out on a rolling basis, with the number of affected visas remaining subject to change. However, officials said revocation of the visas would not necessarily result in the immediate deportation of those whose asylum cases are pending.
The development comes as President Donald Trump’s administration continues to tighten U.S. immigration and visa policies, including increased scrutiny of applicants’ backgrounds and social media activities, visa restrictions for citizens of some countries and measures targeting what the administration considers improper use of temporary visas.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticised people who use business or tourism visas before seeking asylum, arguing that asylum should not be used to circumvent immigration laws. The proposed revocations are expected to face legal challenges.
The State Department has also revoked about 175,000 visas over the past 18 months involving people convicted or accused of crimes, according to the report. The administration has separately pursued measures against so-called birth tourism and sought changes to birthright citizenship, though related efforts have faced court challenges.
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