The Trump administration will revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who applied for or are seeking asylum in the U.S., the largest single mass revocation in American history. State Department documents and officials say the action targets holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders later pursued asylum claims.
The revocations will be coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security and announced within weeks unless legally challenged. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the effort but declined to specify the number of visas to be revoked, calling the process "dynamic" and ongoing. Most affected individuals would lose their visitor status but not face immediate deportation, officials said.
The move follows a broader crackdown on visa policies under Trump’s second term, including stricter social media checks, financial bonds for applicants, and visa bans for citizens of certain countries. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticized what he called "bogus asylum claims" used to circumvent immigration law, citing a Colombian tourist visa holder who later sought asylum.
