The administration of President Donald Trump is preparing to cancel up to 200,000 [1] B1 business and B2 tourist visas issued to foreign nationals.
This move signals a significant escalation in U.S. immigration enforcement by targeting individuals who used temporary visitor credentials to enter the country before seeking asylum.
The State Department is expected to announce the revocations in the coming weeks [2]. The policy targets visas issued between 2016 and 2026 [2] for individuals who later applied for asylum after arrival. This measure is part of a new offensive immigration policy aimed at asylum seekers who entered the U.S. on temporary visitor visas [1].
The scale of the planned action would represent one of the largest mass revocations of visitor visas in history [2]. By invalidating these documents, the administration aims to close a perceived loophole where visitor visas serve as a gateway to long-term residency claims.
Under the proposed plan, the focus remains strictly on the B1 and B2 categories [2]. These visas are intended for short-term stays for business or tourism, not for permanent relocation or the initiation of asylum proceedings.
Government officials have not yet released the specific timeline for when the cancellations will take effect, though the preparation phase is currently underway [2].
“The administration of President Donald Trump is preparing to cancel up to 200,000 B1 business and B2 tourist visas.”
This policy shift indicates a move toward stricter interpretation of 'visa intent,' where the act of applying for asylum is treated as a violation of the original terms of a visitor visa. If implemented, it could lead to a surge in deportation proceedings for thousands of individuals who are currently in a legal limbo while awaiting asylum hearings, as their underlying legal entry document would be nullified.
