WASHINGTON, D.C. — August 25, 2026 — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for, or are currently seeking, asylum in the United States.
The proposed action, reported by the Associated Press and Reuters, would target holders of B1 business and B2 tourism visas who entered the United States as temporary visitors before subsequently filing asylum claims. If implemented as planned, officials say it could become the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history.
State Department coordinates with DHS
The U.S. State Department is expected to work with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify affected visa holders. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the administration was targeting people who entered the country claiming to be short-term visitors and later sought asylum in order to remain permanently.
However, the government has not confirmed that exactly 200,000 visas will be revoked. Officials say the figure remains dynamic and that revocations could take place on a rolling basis.
The planned action reportedly covers B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to individuals who subsequently sought asylum.
Visa cancellation does not mean immediate deportation
Officials have stressed that revocation of a visa would not automatically result in immediate deportation.
People with pending asylum cases could lose their classification as business or tourism visitors, while their asylum proceedings could continue under the relevant immigration process. The exact legal consequences for individual visa holders are expected to depend on their circumstances.
Administration defends crackdown
The Trump administration has made immigration enforcement a major priority during the president's second term.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has criticised what the administration describes as the misuse of temporary visitor visas to enter the United States and subsequently seek asylum.
The administration argues that tourist and business visas are intended for temporary visits and that applicants are expected to demonstrate an intention to return to their home countries.
Critics warn of legal challenges
The proposed mass revocation is likely to face legal challenges from immigration advocates and affected individuals.
Critics argue that asylum is a legal protection available under U.S. and international law and that seeking asylum after entering the United States does not, by itself, establish that a person fraudulently obtained a visa.
The controversy comes as the administration pursues a wider immigration strategy involving stricter visa screening, additional requirements for applicants and increased deportation enforcement. The State Department has already revoked approximately 175,000 visas over the past 18 months in cases involving alleged criminal activity and other grounds, according to AP reporting.
Broader immigration crackdown
The proposed visa revocations are the latest in a series of measures designed by the Trump administration to tighten America's immigration system.
The administration has also introduced enhanced scrutiny of visa applicants, including examination of social-media histories, visa restrictions affecting nationals of certain countries and other measures intended to reduce what officials describe as abuse of the immigration system.
For the potentially 200,000 affected foreigners, the coming weeks could therefore bring significant uncertainty as the government begins identifying visa holders and determining who will be subject to revocation.
If implemented without major changes or court intervention, the initiative would represent an unprecedented expansion of the administration's campaign to restrict immigration and could trigger a major new legal battle over the government's authority to revoke visas held by people pursuing asylum.
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