Trump Administration Plans to Revoke Visas of Asylum Seekers in the US

The administration of President Donald Trump is planning to revoke the temporary non-immigrant visas of individuals who have applied for asylum in the United States and those currently in the process of applying, according to reports.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said they are working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the visas of individuals who arrived in the United States as short-term visitors and subsequently applied for asylum to obtain permanent residency.

However, the State Department has not disclosed the exact number of visas to be revoked.

The Associated Press, citing State Department documents and the statements of two U.S. officials, reported that the number of foreign nationals whose business and tourist visas could be revoked may be as high as 200,000.

If this plan is implemented, it could become the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history.

According to the Associated Press report, visas held by individuals who have applied for asylum or are currently in the process of applying—among those holding B1 business visas and B2 tourist visas issued between 2016 and 2026—will be revoked.

Those whose visas are revoked will not be immediately deported. Most individuals awaiting pending asylum cases may continue to await their cases, but they will lose the visa status they had obtained as business or tourist travelers.

Additionally, in early August, the State Department announced that it had already revoked the visas of more than 175,000 foreign nationals during the Trump administration.

Ref & Photo; Reuters