US targets 200,000 B1, B2 visa holders in major asylum crackdown

The United States government is preparing to revoke as many as 200,000 business and tourist visas held by foreign nationals who entered the country on short-term visas before seeking or filing for asylum, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and two US officials.

The proposed action, which could become one of the largest mass visa revocation exercises in recent US history, is being coordinated by the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Officials said the affected visas are expected to include B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to individuals who subsequently sought asylum or currently have asylum applications pending in the United States.

The move is likely to generate legal and political controversy, particularly over how the government identifies affected visa holders and how the revocations interact with existing asylum proceedings.

Targeting B1 and B2 visa holders

B1 visas are primarily issued to foreign nationals travelling to the United States for business-related activities, while B2 visas generally cover tourism, family visits and certain medical-related trips.

The administration’s proposed action would target holders who allegedly used those temporary visitor visas before seeking permission to remain permanently through the US asylum system.

“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 was quoted as saying.

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“The process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis,” he said.

However, the proposed revocation would not automatically mean that every affected person would be immediately deported.

According to US officials cited in the report, many individuals with pending asylum cases could remain in the country while their immigration cases proceed, although they would lose their classification as business or tourist visitors.

Administration intensifies immigration crackdown

The planned visa revocations form part of a wider immigration enforcement campaign launched by President Donald Trump’s administration since he returned to office for a second term in January 2025.

The administration has introduced increasingly stringent requirements for foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States, including expanded scrutiny of applicants’ social media activity, visa-bond requirements and restrictions on citizens of certain countries.

Officials have also increased scrutiny of applicants’ stated intentions when applying for temporary visas.

Under US immigration rules, B1 and B2 applicants must generally demonstrate that they intend to make a temporary visit and return to their countries of residence rather than use visitor visas as a pathway to permanent residence.

The administration argues that individuals who enter the United States claiming to be tourists or business travellers before seeking asylum undermine the purpose of the temporary visa system.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticised what he described as fraudulent asylum applications in a social media post.

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Despite the reported figure of up to 200,000 potential revocations, officials have not disclosed precisely how many B1 and B2 visa holders would ultimately be affected.

The documents and officials cited in the report also did not establish how many of the individuals concerned have already filed asylum applications, how many applications remain pending or how many asylum claims have been approved.

Asylum is a legally recognised protection available under US law to individuals who meet the statutory requirements, including people who fear persecution or have suffered persecution in their home countries on specified grounds.

The fact that someone holding a visitor visa later seeks asylum does not, by itself, establish that the original visa application was fraudulent.

Visa cancellations have also reportedly involved foreigners accused of publicly opposing US policies, particularly concerning the Middle East, raising separate questions about the limits of executive authority and the role of political expression in immigration decisions.

The administration has maintained that visa holders are guests of the United States and that the government has broad authority to determine who may enter and remain in the country.

Critics, however, are likely to question whether increasingly broad screening mechanisms could discourage legitimate travellers and disproportionately affect applicants from certain countries