Trump administration to consider revoking up to 200,000 B-1/B-2 visas of asylum applicants
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The U.S. administration is reviewing a proposal to cancel business and tourist visas issued between 2016 and 2026 for individuals who have applied for asylum, potentially affecting up to 200,000 people nationwide.
The administration is preparing a rule that could cancel B-1 and B-2 visas issued from 2016 to 2026 for foreign nationals who have filed asylum claims, a move that could involve as many as 200,000 individuals across the United States. Immigration attorneys said the policy targets those who allegedly use temporary visitor visas to enter the country before seeking asylum, but it does not automatically trigger deportation.
"A visa is something that the U.S. Department of State issues from abroad. It doesn't mean if they have a visa and they're in the U.S. that they have to leave," said immigration lawyer Rossana Berardi.
Legal experts noted that while entering on a tourist visa and later applying for asylum is lawful, revocation could lead to court hearings and possible detention. "Usually you need to get a lawyer. I will tell you that things are moving very quickly right now in immigration courts," said Aaron Aisen of the ECBA Volunteer Lawyers Project.
Harith Mazrui, an associate attorney, emphasized that seeking asylum after arriving on a tourist visa is permitted under U.S. law, citing examples such as individuals from war-torn Sudan. The attorneys also warned that travelers in Western New York should obtain legal counsel before crossing the U.S.–Canada border.
The proposal remains under review and is expected to be implemented gradually, with officials indicating that no final decision has been made yet.