The Trump administration is preparing another major step in its tightening of US immigration and visa policies, with a new review potentially affecting as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who entered the country on B1/B2 visas and later applied for asylum.
According to the Associated Press, citing US State Department documents and officials familiar with the matter, the administration is considering revoking the business or tourist visas of individuals who entered the United States as temporary visitors but subsequently sought asylum.
If implemented on the scale currently under consideration, the measure could become one of the largest mass visa revocation efforts undertaken by the United States in recent years.
Visas Issued Between 2016 and 2026 Under Review
According to the report, the review focuses particularly on B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.
US authorities are examining records to identify individuals who entered the country on temporary visitor visas and later filed asylum applications.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the State Department are expected to play central roles in the process, with asylum application information being used to identify individuals who still hold valid B1 or B2 visas.
The administration's position is that temporary visitor visas are issued to people who declare an intention to visit the United States temporarily and leave after completing the purpose of their trip.
Officials are therefore examining cases in which individuals entered as tourists or business visitors and later sought to remain permanently through the asylum system.
Visa Revocation Does Not Automatically Mean Deportation
One of the most important distinctions surrounding the proposed policy is that revoking a B1 or B2 visa does not automatically cancel an asylum application.
It also does not necessarily mean that the individual will immediately be deported from the United States.
Asylum claims are handled through separate immigration procedures, and pending cases may continue to be reviewed even if the person's underlying tourist or business visa is revoked.
Therefore, reports suggesting that the United States is preparing to immediately deport 200,000 asylum seekers would be misleading.
At this stage, the measure specifically concerns the revocation of temporary business and tourist visas held by people identified through the review.
Trump Administration Expands Visa Scrutiny
The planned measure comes as the Trump administration continues to expand immigration enforcement and scrutiny of legal visa programs.
The administration has emphasized that US visas can remain subject to review even after they have been issued, particularly when authorities identify potential security concerns, criminal activity, immigration violations or other circumstances that could affect a person's eligibility.
The latest initiative is particularly significant because it specifically targets individuals who entered the United States on B1/B2 visas before applying for asylum.
Final Number Has Not Yet Been Determined
The exact number of visas that could ultimately be revoked has not yet been finalized.
Current estimates indicate that the review could involve up to 200,000 people, but the actual number of revocations will depend on individual case reviews and the final scope of the policy.
The measure could also face legal challenges once implemented, particularly over questions involving asylum rights, visa-revocation authority and the treatment of individual immigration cases.
Further details are expected from the US government regarding when the policy will take effect, which cases will be included and how the visa revocation process will be carried out.
