The Trump administration is reviewing the visas of as many as 200,000 people who entered the United States for business or tourism before later applying for asylum, potentially setting the stage for a historic number of visa revocations.
The review covers B-1 and B-2 visas issued over a 10-year period from 2016 through 2026. According to The Associated Press, revocations on the scale being considered would surpass previous visa cancellation efforts in U.S. history.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the State Department and Department of Homeland Security are examining cases involving people who entered the country on temporary visas and later sought asylum.
“These types of visas are issued with a clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home,” Pigott told The Wall Street Journal.
What Happens If a Visa Is Revoked?
The administration has not finalized the plan, and it remains unclear how many visas ultimately could be canceled.
The AP reported that State Department documents and two U.S. officials indicate revocations could begin being announced within weeks. Pigott did not provide an estimate for how many people could eventually be affected, saying reviews would continue over time.
A visa revocation would not automatically mean deportation.
People who have pending asylum cases could continue pursuing those claims even if their previous business or tourism visas are revoked. The loss of a visa also would not determine whether an asylum application is eventually approved or denied.
B-1 visas allow certain temporary business travel to the United States, while B-2 visas cover tourism and other personal travel, including some family and medical visits.
Applicants are generally required to demonstrate that their visit will be temporary. Current B-1 and B-2 visa applicants must also state that they do not intend to seek asylum while in the United States.
Administration Targets Temporary Visitors Who Seek Asylum
The administration says its review is focused on people it believes entered the country as temporary visitors while already intending to remain in the United States by seeking asylum.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticized the practice Monday in a post on X, writing that people are “fed up with bogus asylum claims.”
“Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law,” Landau wrote.
Under U.S. law, people already inside the country can seek asylum based on a fear of persecution in their home countries. Revoking a temporary visa would not, on its own, resolve the merits of an asylum claim.
Visa Enforcement Expands Under Trump
The potential action is the latest expansion of visa enforcement since President Donald Trump began his second term.
The administration has pursued several other changes, including restrictions based on nationality, financial bond requirements for some visa applicants and expanded reviews of applicants’ social media activity.
The State Department said this month that it had canceled more than 175,000 visas for various reasons, including criminal conduct, violations of visa conditions and behavior officials described as threatening to the United States.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that the administration revoked visas belonging to international students and immigrants who made comments about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Birth Tourism Also Under Scrutiny
The administration is separately pursuing restrictions related to birthright citizenship and so-called “birth tourism.”
Trump signed executive orders this month aimed at limiting who qualifies for citizenship at birth and preventing tourists from traveling to the United States primarily to give birth.
The administration uses the term “birth tourism” to describe situations in which temporary visitors travel to the United States to give birth, resulting in their children receiving U.S. citizenship at birth.
Previous Trump administration attempts to restrict birthright citizenship have faced legal challenges, including cases reaching the Supreme Court.
Legal Challenges Could Follow
The administration's asylum-related visa review could face court challenges of its own if large-scale revocations move forward.
According to the AP, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided information about asylum applications to the State Department before officials began reviewing current B-1 and B-2 visa holders.
For now, the final number of people who could lose their visas remains uncertain.
