US plans largest visa revocation in history over asylum claims

The revocations target B1 and B2 visa holders from the past decade who filed for asylum after entering the United States

The US State Department plans to revoke the B1 and B2 visas of up to 200,000 foreign nationals who entered the United States on business or tourism visas and subsequently filed for asylum. The measure would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in US history, according to State Department documents obtained by the Associated Press, as reported by the Washington Post.

The revocations target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have either already applied for asylum or are currently seeking it. US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed that the department is coordinating with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify and revoke the visas on a rolling basis.

Screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after the US State Department received asylum application data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The department has not confirmed the final number of visas that will be revoked, saying the total will remain dynamic as the rolling review proceeds.

Revocation of a B1 or B2 visa does not automatically lead to deportation. Many of the affected individuals would lose their non-immigrant visa status while their asylum claims continue to be processed through the US immigration system. The US State Department has not stated what will happen to pending asylum cases of those whose visas are canceled.

What are B1 and B2 visas?

A B1 visa is issued for temporary business travel to the United States, including meetings, conferences, and commercial activities. A B2 visa covers tourism, family visits, and medical treatment. Both visa types permit stays of up to six months and are classified as non-immigrant visas, meaning they do not grant permanent residence.

Nearly 6.5 million B1 and B2 visas were issued in fiscal year 2024, according to US State Department figures. Approximately one-third of affirmative asylum applicants over the last decade who disclosed their mode of entry had arrived in the United States on a B1 or B2 visa, based on a 2022 DHS report.

Can someone claim asylum after entering the US on a tourist visa?

Under current US federal law, foreign nationals can seek asylum once they are inside the United States if they face "persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution" in their home country based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. This right applies regardless of immigration status, as long as the application is filed within one year of arrival, according to USCIS.

The Trump administration's position is that filing for asylum after entering on a short-term visitor visa constitutes misuse of the B1/B2 category. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau stated on X that "asylum isn't supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration laws" and described it as a "narrow safe harbor" for genuine persecution cases.

Will this face legal challenges?

The revocation plan is widely expected to face legal challenges in US courts. Several of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions have already been struck down or blocked by federal judges, including a separate policy suspending immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, which a US judge overturned on August 21, 2026, ruling that it exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statutory authority.

Human rights organizations have described some of the administration's visa revocations as politically motivated. The US State Department has separately confirmed that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas since President Trump took office across all categories, including cases linked to criminal charges, political activity, and participation in pro-Palestinian protests.

The US government has maintained that the enforcement measures are necessary to protect domestic security and prevent misuse of the immigration system. More than 230,000 affirmative asylum cases were filed in the United States in 2022 alone, according to DHS data.