U.S. Plans to Revoke Up to 200,000 Visas for Asylum Seekers

If implemented, the move would represent the largest single revocation of visas in U.S. history, according to the Associated Press.

Published On 25 Aug 202625 Aug 2026

The United States is preparing to cancel business and tourist visas for as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum, the Associated Press reported.

Citing State Department documents and interviews with two U.S. officials, the AP reported on Monday that, if enacted, the plan would constitute the largest single mass visa revocation in the nation’s history.

The State Department said it expects to announce the measure within the coming weeks, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

The initiative would target B-1 and B-2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 held by individuals who have applied for or are currently pursuing asylum.

“We are working with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who entered the United States as short-term visitors but subsequently filed for asylum to remain permanently,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Officials cited by the AP said the visa cancellations would not automatically lead to deportation.

Instead, most individuals with pending asylum claims would be moved to another immigration category, effectively removing their business or tourist status while their cases continue.

“People in the United States and around the world are tired of fraudulent asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum should not be used as a loophole to bypass immigration law.”

Since President Donald Trump began his second term last year, his administration has steadily tightened visa requirements — demanding more social-media information, imposing costly bonds for visa processing, and barring visa issuance for nationals of certain countries.

Over the past 18 months, the State Department has also revoked roughly 175,000 visas for individuals convicted or accused of crimes such as drunk driving, rape, and robbery, as well as for those who have publicly criticized U.S. policies, especially in the Middle East.

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