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Mass visa revocations planned
The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States, a move the Associated Press says would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history.
“up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status”
The State Department is expected to announce in the coming weeks the revocation of so-called B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum, with the action taken in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said, "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," describing the effort as targeting people who entered as temporary visitors and then sought to remain permanently.
The revocations would not necessarily result in their immediate deportation, and most of those with asylum cases currently pending would be recategorized but would lose their status as business or tourism travelers, according to officials cited by the Associated Press.
Officials frame asylum as abuse
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, writing on X, said, "People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims," and added that "Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law."
The Associated Press reporting says the State Department statement did not specify the number of visas that will be revoked, and Pigott declined to comment on the number, saying the process would be "done on a rolling basis."
France 24 reported that the State Department spokesman said it was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security "to identify and revoke the non-immigrant 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."
France 24 also said the revocations would not necessarily result in immediate deportation, and that most of those with asylum cases currently pending would be re-categorised but would lose their status as business or tourism travelers.
Legal challenges and broader crackdown
The Associated Press said the visa revocations would likely face legal challenges, and that unless challenged or revised, the State Department is expected to announce the revocation of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum.
“would likely face legal challenges”
The Associated Press also reported that in the past 18 months the State Department has revoked about 175,000 visas for people who have been convicted or accused of crimes ranging from drunken driving to rape and robbery, as well as for people who have spoken out publicly against U.S. policies, particularly in the Middle East.
Reuters reported that the State Department will revoke so-called B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum, and said the revocations would not necessarily result in immediate deportation.
Reuters further said the administration has moved to crack down on so-called birth tourism, and that Trump has tried several times to end birthright citizenship, with those challenges rejected by courts including the Supreme Court.