Tourist To Asylum Seeker: Why Up To 2 Lakh US Visas Could Be Revoked

The US is moving to draw a sharper line between those visiting the country temporarily and those seeking to stay by claiming asylum, with potentially far-reaching consequences for foreign nationals holding business and tourist visas.

The Donald Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, according to the US State Department.

The move is expected to target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who have sought or are seeking asylum. The State Department is expected to announce the revocations in the coming weeks. The visas are generally issued for business travel, tourism, family visits or medical care.

What Has The US State Department Said?

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the US was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who entered the country as short-term visitors but later filed for asylum.

"We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently," Pigott said as DW reported.

He did not provide a specific figure, saying the number remained dynamic and that the revocations would be carried out on a rolling basis.

The Associated Press has estimated that up to 200,000 visas could be affected, citing State Department documents and two US officials. If implemented at that scale, it would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in US history.

Will Visa Revocation Mean Immediate Deportation?

Not necessarily. According to officials who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, most people with pending asylum cases would instead be recategorised. They would lose their status as business or tourism travellers, but the revocation would not automatically result in immediate deportation.

It remains unclear how many current B1 and B2 visa holders have actually filed for asylum.

Applicants for these visas are currently required to affirm that they will not seek asylum and demonstrate an intention to return to their home countries.

Why Is The Trump Administration Targeting These Visas?

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticised the use of business and tourist visas as a route to asylum claims.

"Asylum isn't supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law," Landau wrote on X, arguing that people were using the system to remain in the US permanently after entering as short-term visitors.

He also alleged that the US immigration system had been overwhelmed by what he described as frivolous asylum claims.

The State Department's move is part of a wider immigration crackdown during Trump's second term. The administration has introduced expanded social media vetting, new visa bond requirements and visa bans for citizens of certain countries, according to Deutsche Welle.

How Many Visas Has The US Already Revoked?

The State Department said it has revoked roughly 175,000 visas over the past 18 months.

The reasons cited include criminal convictions and public criticism of US policy, particularly concerning the Middle East. The administration has also targeted so-called birth tourism and repeatedly sought to end birthright citizenship.

Courts, including the US Supreme Court, have rejected efforts to end birthright citizenship.

What Are Rights Groups Saying?

Rights groups have criticised the broader immigration crackdown, arguing that it has infringed on free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities who could face racial profiling.

The Trump administration maintains that the crackdown is intended to strengthen domestic security.

The administration has also tightened legal immigration pathways, including through new fees for certain work visa applicants. Several aspects of the immigration crackdown are facing legal challenges.

The Wider Visa Crackdown

The latest action comes after the US State Department revoked more than 175,000 visas issued to foreign nationals under Trump's administration, as reported earlier by Outlook India.

The revocations have largely followed encounters with law enforcement, with assault, driving under the influence, theft and drug offences among the leading reasons cited by the department. Other cases involved sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, fraud and embezzlement.

The State Department has also cited visa violations, calls for violence, fraud and threats to national security among the reasons for revocation.

The department had said in January that more than 100,000 visas had been revoked, making the latest figure a significant increase. The administration has also expanded visa screening, including social media vetting.

What Can Trigger Visa Revocation?

According to the State Department, visa revocation can follow a range of circumstances, from criminal activity to immigration violations and national-security concerns.

The department earlier noted, it had revoked visas belonging to people who posed a danger to American citizens, endorsed violence against Americans, arranged illegal birth-tourism schemes or engaged in fraud.

It also cited cases involving people who had been arrested or charged with offences including reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, theft, drug offences and domestic violence.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also determined that numerous foreign nationals are deportable on foreign-policy grounds. The State Department cited, among others, a Cuban national connected to a Cuban communist regime influence operation, Iranian nationals with connections to the Iranian regime, a Laotian child sex offender pardoned by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and a Kuwaiti national who wished violence against the US President and called Americans his “enemy”.