The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, according to US officials and State Department documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The move could become the largest mass visa revocation in US history and is expected to face legal challenges.
The State Department is expected to begin revoking B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreign nationals who entered the US on short-term business or tourism visas and later applied for asylum.
The action is being coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed that officials are identifying foreigners who entered the US as short-term visitors before seeking asylum. However, he said the number of affected visas remains uncertain and will change as the process continues.
The revocations would not automatically result in immediate deportation, officials said.
People with pending asylum cases could retain their ability to pursue those cases but would lose their B1 or B2 visa status.
B1 visas are generally issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism, family visits and medical treatment.
The administration has increasingly tightened US immigration and visa policies since President Donald Trump returned to office for his second term. These measures include expanded social media screening, visa bonds and restrictions on nationals of certain countries.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has defended the planned action, arguing that asylum should not be used to circumvent US immigration laws.
The State Department has already revoked around 175,000 visas over the past 18 months involving people accused or convicted of crimes and, in some cases, people who publicly opposed US policies.
The documents obtained by AP indicate that the screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after the State Department received information from US Citizenship and Immigration Services about asylum applications.
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