US Visa Revocation Targets Asylum Applicants

The US visa revocation policy will target foreign visitors who entered the country for tourism or business before seeking asylum, according to the State Department.

The latest move is part of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, which aims to reduce both illegal and legal immigration into the United States.

The State Department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify people who entered the US as temporary visitors but later applied for asylum in an attempt to remain in the country.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the policy and said:

“Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement that confirmed press reports about the new policy.

The White House said on X that up to 200,000 visas could be affected. It described the move as the “largest mass visa revocation in history”.

However, the State Department did not confirm that figure. Pigott said the number could change as authorities continue reviewing cases.

“The number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis.”

The planned US visa revocation effort follows other immigration enforcement measures introduced since Trump returned to office in January 2025.

Earlier this month, the State Department said about 175,000 foreign nationals had already lost their US visas since Trump returned to power. The reasons included criminal offences such as driving under the influence and publicly praising the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

The administration has also revoked the visas of several Mexican officials, including the son of former Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Mexico’s current president, Claudia Sheinbaum, criticised the move.

Trump campaigned heavily on reducing illegal immigration and has deported large numbers of people who lacked valid residence documents. His administration has also introduced measures aimed at restricting legal entry and addressing visa overstays.

Some of those measures have faced legal challenges. Courts have blocked or limited several government actions.

Last Friday, a federal judge overturned a government ban affecting nationals of 75 countries seeking visas to settle permanently in the US. The affected countries included Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Thailand and Yemen.

The administration is also preparing to increase scrutiny of visa applicants’ social media accounts as part of its wider vetting process.

Pigott said the government wanted applicants to understand the limits attached to entering the country.

“We are making clear that a visa is a privilege — not a right,” Pigott said Tuesday.

The latest US visa revocation plan is expected to add another layer to the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, although its full scope will depend on how many cases officials ultimately identify.

Do you think revoking visas from visitors who later seek asylum is justified?