US plans to revoke 200,000 visas of asylum seekers

The Trump administration plans to revoke the B1 and B2 visas of up to 200,000 foreigners seeking asylum in the United States, marking the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history. Coordinated by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, the policy targets visas issued between 2016 and 2026. Affected individuals will lose their tourist or business status and be recategorized rather than immediately deported. The plan is expected to face swift legal challenges.

B1/B2 visa revocation plan

• ▪The planned visa revocations target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought or are currently seeking asylum.
• ▪The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the B1 business and B2 tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are seeking asylum in the United States.
• ▪The United States State Department is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who entered as short-term visitors but filed for asylum.
• ▪If implemented, the planned revocation of up to 200,000 visas would mark the largest single mass revocation of visas in United States history.

Asylum seeker reclassification

• ▪Current applicants for B1 and B2 visas must affirm they will not seek asylum in the United States and provide proof of their intent to return to their home countries.
• ▪The planned revocation of B1 and B2 visas for asylum seekers will not necessarily result in the immediate deportation of the affected individuals.
• ▪Foreigners with pending asylum cases whose B1 or B2 visas are revoked will be recategorized into a different immigration category but will lose their status as business or tourism travelers.

Trump immigration crackdown

• ▪Since President Donald Trump took office for his second term, his administration has increased restrictions on visa applicants, including demanding social media histories and requiring expensive processing bonds.
• ▪The United States State Department has revoked approximately 175,000 visas over the past 18 months for individuals convicted or accused of crimes or who publicly criticized United States policies.
• ▪Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau stated on August 24, 2026, that the United States immigration system has been swamped by frivolous asylum claims used as loopholes to circumvent immigration law.

Potential legal challenges

• ▪The Trump administration's attempts to end birthright citizenship have been repeatedly rejected by federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.
• ▪Rights groups argue that the Trump administration's immigration crackdown has violated free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, raising concerns about racial profiling.
• ▪On August 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas from 75 countries, ruling it exceeded statutory authority.

State Department implementation timeline

• ▪The State Department's screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after receiving asylum request data from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• ▪State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott declined to specify the exact number of visas to be revoked, stating that the process will be ongoing and dynamic on a rolling basis.
• ▪The United States State Department is expected to officially announce the mass visa revocation policy in the coming weeks.

9 sources