Trump administration to revoke visas of foreigners seeking asylum in US, officials say

President Donald Trump’s administration announced plans to revoke the non‑immigrant B1 and B2 visas of foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, a move that could affect as many as 200,000 individuals, according to the Associated Press. State Department officials said they are working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify visa holders who entered the country as short‑term business or tourism visitors and later filed asylum claims, and to cancel those visas. While the State Department did not give an exact figure, the AP cited internal documents and two officials indicating that the revocation would target visas issued between 2016 and 2026, potentially making it the largest single mass visa cancellation in U.S. history.

The policy is presented as a response to what Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau described on X as a “swamped” immigration system burdened by “frivolous asylum claims.” The administration argues that tightening visa eligibility and revoking existing visas will improve domestic security and curb abuse of the asylum process. This action follows a broader Trump‑era crackdown that has already seen more than 175,000 visas revoked earlier this year, alongside heightened deportations and new, higher fees for certain work‑visa applicants. Rights groups, however, contend that such measures infringe on free‑speech and due‑process rights, disproportionately affect ethnic minorities, and foster an environment of racial profiling.

The revocations will not automatically result in immediate deportation; most individuals with pending asylum cases are expected to be re‑categorized, losing their business or tourism status while remaining in the country during the adjudication of their claims. Legal challenges to the crackdown are anticipated, as critics argue the policy violates constitutional protections. The move arrives as Trump campaigns for the 2024 election on a platform of stricter immigration enforcement, signaling that further restrictions on both legal and illegal immigration may be forthcoming if his administration continues its aggressive stance.

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