US to revoke 200,000 tourist and business visas linked to asylum claims

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to revoke the business (B1) and tourism (B2) visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States. This move, if implemented, would represent the largest single mass visa revocation in US history.

The planned revocations target individuals who initially entered the United States with short-term visitor visas—commonly used for business trips, tourism, family visits, or medical care—but subsequently filed asylum claims to remain indefinitely. According to internal State Department documents obtained by Associated Press and two US officials, the revocations will apply to B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to visa holders who have sought or are seeking asylum.

The State Department is expected to announce this policy in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the coming weeks. Officials indicated that identification and revocation process will occur on a rolling basis, with the number of affected visa holders potentially fluctuating as cases are reviewed. However, officials stressed that visa revocation does not equate to immediate deportation. Instead, those with pending asylum claims would be reclassified and lose their status as business or tourism travellers.

This action builds on a pattern under the Trump administration to tighten immigration controls. Since President Trump’s second term began in 2017, visa applicants face stricter scrutiny, including demands for access to social media histories, requirements to post expensive bonds and comprehensive bans on issuing visas to citizens of certain countries. Additionally, in the past 18 months, the State Department has revoked about 175,000 visas linked to criminal convictions or public criticism of US policies.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed frustration with individuals allegedly misusing visitor visas as a loophole to obtain asylum. In a social media statement, he called for stricter enforcement to prevent abuse of the asylum system, emphasising that asylum is designed to protect genuine refugees fleeing persecution, not to circumvent immigration laws.

The administration is also targeting “birth tourism”, a practice where pregnant women travel to the US to give birth so their children can claim birthright citizenship—a privilege guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. While President Trump sought to end birthright citizenship, courts, including the Supreme Court, have so far upheld the policy.

Currently, applicants for B1 and B2 visas must affirm they will not apply for asylum and demonstrate strong ties and intent to return to their home countries. The intensified screening process reflects growing concerns within the administration over what it views as systemic abuses of short-term visitor visas.

The move is expected to face legal challenges from immigration advocates who argue that the revocation and reclassification of these visas infringes on due process rights and unfairly penalises asylum seekers.