200,000 US Visas At Risk? Trump Moves To Revoke B1, B2 Visas

The Donald Trump administration is preparing to revoke the B1 and B2 visas of up to 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, potentially marking the largest mass visa revocation in US history.

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press and cited by two US officials, the State Department is expected to announce the move in the coming weeks. The plan would target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who entered the country as temporary visitors before seeking asylum.

The State Department said it is coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who entered the US claiming to be short term visitors but later filed asylum claims to remain permanently.

B1 visas are generally issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism and other temporary visits. The administration argues that asylum should not be used as a way to circumvent US immigration rules.

However, the proposal is not yet final and could face legal challenges. Importantly, revocation of a visa would not automatically mean immediate deportation. People with pending asylum cases could retain their ability to pursue those claims while losing their status as business or tourism visitors.

The potential action comes amid an increasingly aggressive Trump immigration crackdown. The administration has tightened visa screening, requested greater disclosure of applicants' social media activity and introduced restrictions affecting nationals of several countries.

The State Department has already revoked approximately 175,000 visas during Trump's current term, according to officials. Those cases included foreign nationals convicted of or accused of crimes, as well as some people whose conduct or public statements were considered grounds for revocation.

The administration has also targeted birth tourism, arguing that some foreign nationals travel to the US specifically to give birth so their children can obtain birthright citizenship. Trump's attempts to restrict birthright citizenship have faced court challenges.

The latest visa plan also follows a recent setback for the administration. On August 21, a federal judge in New York struck down a policy that had suspended immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, ruling that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his legal authority.