If implemented, the move would represent the largest single mass revocation of visas in US history and is expected to be formally announced by the State Department in the coming weeks.
The planned action would target B1 and B2 nonimmigrant visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who have sought asylum or are currently seeking asylum in the United States.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott confirmed that officials are coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify affected visa holders.
“We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently,” Pigott said.
However, Pigott declined to confirm the figure of 200,000, saying the number of revocations remained dynamic and would be carried out on a rolling basis.The planned revocations would not automatically trigger the immediate deportation of those affected.
According to US officials cited by the AP, most people with pending asylum cases would instead be placed into a different immigration category while their cases continue.They would, however, lose their status as business or tourism travellers.
Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposed revocations have not yet been finalised.B1 visas are generally issued to foreign nationals travelling to the United States for business purposes. B2 visas are primarily issued for tourism, family visits and medical care.
Current applicants for B1 and B2 visas are required to affirm that they do not intend to seek asylum in the United States and must demonstrate that they intend to return to their home countries.
It was not immediately clear from the State Department documents how many current B1 and B2 visa holders have sought asylum and would ultimately be affected.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau criticised people who he said use tourist and business visas to enter the United States before seeking asylum.
“People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X on Monday, arguing that asylum should not be used as a way to circumvent US immigration law.
Landau cited the case of a Colombian national who entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2015 and subsequently applied for asylum.He also said the US immigration system had long been overwhelmed by what he described as frivolous asylum claims.
The proposed visa revocations are the latest step in President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown since he returned to office for a second term.
The administration has tightened visa procedures by demanding more information about applicants’ social media histories, requiring expensive visa bonds and banning visa issuance to citizens of certain countries.
The State Department has also revoked around 175,000 visas over the past 18 months, according to the reports.
Those previous revocations involved foreign nationals who had been convicted or accused of crimes ranging from drunk driving to rape and robbery, as well as people who had publicly spoken against US policies, particularly regarding the Middle East.
State Department documents obtained by the AP indicate that screening of current B1 and B2 visa holders began after the department received information about asylum applications from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The planned action therefore appears to be based on information already held by US immigration authorities concerning visa holders who subsequently sought asylum
The Trump administration has separately moved against so-called birth tourism, a practice in which foreign pregnant women travel to the United States to give birth so their children can potentially receive birthright citizenship.
Trump has repeatedly attempted to end birthright citizenship, but those efforts have faced legal challenges and have been rejected by courts, including the Supreme Court.
The administration’s broader immigration agenda has also included revocations of visas and green cards and an aggressive deportation drive, which Trump says is intended to improve domestic security.The administration’s immigration measures have increasingly faced legal challenges.
On Friday, a federal judge struck down a Trump administration policy introduced earlier this year that suspended immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas, appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled that the policy was contrary to law and exceeded statutory authority, arguing that it undermined Congress’s requirement that consular officers play a central role in visa decisions.
The planned B1 and B2 revocations could similarly face legal challenges if implemented on a large scale.
Trump campaigned in 2024 on a promise to stop illegal immigration, but his administration has also made legal immigration more difficult through tighter requirements and new fees for certain immigration and work visa applicants.
Rights groups have criticised the broader crackdown, saying some measures have violated free speech and due process rights and created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities concerned about racial profiling.
The administration, however, maintains that the measures are necessary to strengthen immigration enforcement and prevent abuse of the US immigration system.
If the reported plan goes ahead, revoking as many as 200,000 B1 and B2 visas would mark an unprecedented single mass cancellation of US visas.
The State Department is expected to announce further details in the coming weeks as it works with DHS to identify affected visa holders and determine the status of their immigration cases.
For now, the exact number remains uncertain, with the State Department stressing that revocations would be conducted on a rolling basis.