US Targets Up to 200,000 Visitor Visa Holders Who Later Seek Asylum
US Targets Up to 200,000 Visitor Visa Holders Who Later Seek Asylum
The United States Government has begun moves to revoke the business and tourism visas of foreign nationals who entered the country as short-term visitors before subsequently applying for asylum.
The proposed measure, announced by the US State Department, forms part of President Donald Trump’s broader immigration enforcement campaign, which has increasingly focused on both undocumented migrants and foreign nationals who entered the United States legally.
The State Department said it was working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify foreigners who entered the country on non-immigrant visas but later filed asylum applications in an attempt to remain permanently.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the department was coordinating with DHS to “identify and revoke” the non-immigrant visas of individuals who entered the United States claiming to be temporary visitors but later sought asylum.
The proposed action is expected to target holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 who have filed or are currently pursuing asylum applications. B1 visas are generally issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism and other temporary visits.
Although the State Department has not officially released the number of people who could be affected, documents obtained by the Associated Press and information from two US officials suggest that as many as 200,000 foreign nationals could have their visas revoked.
If implemented on that scale, the move could become the largest mass revocation of US visas in the country’s history.
Nigerians Among Those Who Could Be Affected
Nigerians are among foreign nationals facing increased scrutiny under the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
However, the proposed visa revocation is not specifically targeted at Nigerians. Instead, it is expected to apply to foreign nationals of any nationality who entered the United States on B1 or B2 visas and subsequently applied for asylum.
Nigerians who meet those criteria could therefore be affected if the policy is implemented.
Visa Revocation Does Not Automatically Mean Deportation
The cancellation of a visitor visa would not necessarily result in the immediate deportation of everyone affected.
According to officials cited by the Associated Press, some people with pending asylum applications could lose their visitor visa status while their asylum cases continue to be processed.
The exact implications for individual applicants, including how pending asylum claims would be handled, remain unclear and could depend on how the policy is eventually implemented.
The State Department has indicated that the revocations would be carried out on a rolling basis rather than through a single action involving a fixed number of visa holders.
The proposed measure is also likely to face legal challenges, particularly over its implications for foreign nationals who entered the United States legally and later sought asylum under US law.
US Government Accuses Migrants of Abusing Asylum System
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, in a post on X on Monday, August 24, accused the US immigration system of being overwhelmed by what he described as “frivolous asylum claims.”
The Trump administration has consistently defended its tougher immigration policies as necessary to strengthen border security, protect national interests and prevent abuse of immigration procedures.
The State Department said earlier in August that the administration had already revoked more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals for various reasons, including violations of visa conditions, criminal conduct, fraud, calls for violence, abuse of the immigration system and national security concerns.
The latest proposal would add another significant layer to the administration’s immigration enforcement drive, which has included increased scrutiny of visa applicants, additional documentation requirements and restrictions affecting several categories of foreign nationals.
Rights Groups Express Concern
The administration’s immigration crackdown has attracted criticism from rights advocates, who argue that some of the measures could undermine due process and other legal protections.
Critics have also warned that intensified immigration enforcement could increase fear among immigrant communities and create risks of racial profiling.
Several immigration policies introduced by the Trump administration have already faced legal challenges, and the proposed mass visa revocation is expected to attract further judicial scrutiny if implemented.
For Nigerians and other foreign nationals currently in the United States on visitor visas who have applied for asylum, the proposed policy could have significant consequences.
However, the final scope of the measure, the number of people ultimately affected and how pending asylum applications will be treated remain unclear.
The proposed revocations are still being prepared and could be modified or challenged before implementation. The State Department has also not confirmed the reported figure of 200,000 potential cases, stressing that the number remains dynamic as the revocation process is expected to continue on a rolling basis.
