U.S. to revoke visas of up to 200,000 asylum seekers, State Department says

The State Department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to locate foreign nationals who entered the United States on B-1 business or B-2 tourist visas and later filed asylum claims, and to revoke those visas. The process will be conducted on a rolling basis, and officials declined to give a precise number of revocations.

"We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

The revocations are not expected to trigger immediate deportations; affected individuals would lose their visitor status but could remain in the country while their asylum cases proceed. The initiative follows a series of tightened immigration measures introduced since President Donald Trump began his second term, including additional social-media checks, required bonds for visa processing, and bans on visas for citizens of certain countries.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X that some people use tourist and business visas to seek asylum, citing a 2015 case involving a Colombian citizen. Current B-1 and B-2 applicants are now required to affirm they will not apply for asylum and to demonstrate intent to return home.

In the previous 18 months, the State Department revoked roughly 175,000 visas for individuals convicted of crimes or accused of wrongdoing, as well as for some who publicly criticized U.S. policies. The department’s documents also show that screening of existing B-1 and B-2 visa holders began after receiving information about asylum requests from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.