The United States government is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreign nationals who entered the country as short-term visitors and later applied for or are seeking asylum, in what could become the largest mass visa revocation in US history.
The planned action targets holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 who subsequently sought asylum in the United States. The State Department is expected to begin the revocation process in the coming weeks in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The exact number of affected people has not been confirmed. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the department was working with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who entered the US as short-term visitors but later filed asylum claims to remain permanently. He said the process would be carried out on a rolling basis, meaning the number could change as more cases are reviewed.
‘Asylum Isn’t Supposed To Be A Loophole’
The Trump administration has defended the planned revocations as part of its broader effort to tighten immigration enforcement and prevent what officials describe as misuse of visitor visas.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau argued that visitor visas were not designed to provide a route into the US asylum system, saying “asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole” for circumventing immigration law.
A B1 visa is generally issued for business-related travel, while a B2 visa covers tourism, family visits and certain medical trips. Applicants are expected to demonstrate that they intend to remain in the US temporarily and return to their home countries.
Visa Revocation Does Not Mean Immediate Deportation
Officials have stressed that revoking a B1 or B2 visa would not automatically result in immediate deportation.
People with pending asylum claims could continue with their immigration cases, but they would lose their visitor visa status. The change could create additional complications involving work authorisation, travel and other immigration benefits while their asylum proceedings are pending.
Those whose asylum claims are ultimately denied could also face removal proceedings, depending on their individual immigration circumstances.
Nigerians Could Be Among Those Affected
Although the US government has not released a country-by-country breakdown of those targeted, Nigerians could be among the affected foreign nationals.
Nigeria has a significant number of nationals seeking asylum in the United States, including people who initially entered the country for business, tourism, medical treatment or family visits before later filing asylum claims.
For Nigerians already in the US on B1/B2 visas who have filed for asylum, the planned policy could mean the loss of their visitor visa status and increased scrutiny of their immigration history and original intentions when they entered the country.
The development could also make future US visa applications more difficult for people whose immigration records contain status violations or other issues.
Wider US Immigration Crackdown
The planned mass visa revocation comes as the Trump administration intensifies its broader immigration and visa enforcement policies.
The administration has introduced tighter scrutiny of visa applicants, increased restrictions affecting nationals of several countries and expanded measures aimed at preventing what it considers misuse of US immigration pathways.
If implemented at the reported scale, the latest action would represent an unprecedented mass revocation of B1 and B2 visas in the United States.
For Nigerians and other foreign nationals with pending asylum cases, immigration lawyers are likely to face increased demand for advice as the State Department begins notifying affected individuals.
For now, the key issue is that the 200,000 figure remains a potential maximum rather than a confirmed final number, while the revocation process is expected to proceed gradually and could face legal challenges.
