The Trump administration is preparing a Trump administration mass visa revocation plan that could strip B1 and B2 business and tourism visas from up to 200,000 foreigners who applied for or are seeking asylum in the United States. The State Department is expected to announce the revocations in the coming weeks unless the plan is challenged or revised.
Tommy Pigott and DHS
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the department is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who arrived as short-term visitors and then filed for asylum. Pigott said, “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.”
He also said, “as the process will be ongoing, the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis.” That means the list is not a one-time batch; the administration is planning to act step by step as cases are identified.
B1 and B2 visas
The visas in question were issued between 2016 and 2026. If the plan goes forward, it would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history. Most people with pending asylum cases would be recategorized, but they would lose their status as business or tourism travelers.
The revocations would not necessarily lead to immediate deportation. The administration is moving on status first, which leaves the asylum cases themselves as the next point of pressure for the people affected.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio
The action follows a broader tightening of visa restrictions during Donald Trump’s second term, including more information about visa applicants’ social media histories, expensive bonds for visa processing, and bans on visas for citizens of certain countries. Christopher Landau called out people on social media on Monday who he said try to use tourist and business visas improperly.
For travelers holding B1 and B2 visas and pursuing asylum, the practical risk is immediate loss of travel status before any deportation outcome. The first question now is how many visas are pulled in the opening rounds of the rolling review.
