U.S. administration Considers Draconian Revocation of 200,000 Visas for Asylum Seekers
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
The U.S. administration is shamefully reviewing a proposal that could strip up to 200,000 vulnerable asylum applicants of their business and tourist visas, targeting those who sought refuge in the U.S. between 2016 and 2026.
In a deeply troubling move echoing the harsh anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era, the U.S. administration is preparing a rule that could revoke B-1 and B-2 visas issued from 2016 to 2026 for foreign nationals who have filed asylum claims. This regressive policy could impact as many as 200,000 people across the United States, many of whom are fleeing violence, persecution, and instability in their home countries. Immigration attorneys have condemned the proposal, highlighting that it specifically targets those who, out of desperation, use temporary visitor visas as a lifeline to seek safety and justice in America. While the policy does not automatically trigger deportation, it sends a chilling message to those in need.
"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," explained immigration lawyer Rossana Berardi, underscoring the legal ambiguity and fear this policy creates. Legal experts have pointed out that entering on a tourist visa and later applying for asylum is entirely lawful, yet the threat of visa revocation could subject already traumatized individuals 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, highlighting the urgent need for legal support.
Harith Mazrui, an associate attorney, emphasized that seeking asylum after arriving on a tourist visa is permitted under U.S. law, citing the plight of individuals from war-torn Sudan as just one example of those who would be unjustly targeted. Attorneys have urged travelers in Western New York to obtain legal counsel before crossing the U.S.–Canada border, as the policy could have far-reaching and devastating consequences. The proposal, which remains under review, is expected to be implemented gradually, but the administration’s willingness to even consider such a measure is a stark reminder of the ongoing assault on the rights and dignity of asylum seekers.