ICYMI: US Plans Mass Visa Revocation for Asylum Seekers — Report

The United States government is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of as many as 200,000 foreigners who have sought or are seeking asylum in the country, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The proposed action could become one of the largest mass visa revocation exercises in US history and would target holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.

The affected individuals reportedly entered the United States as short-term visitors before subsequently applying for asylum, seeking to remain in the country permanently.

According to documents obtained by the Associated Press and two US officials, the US Department of State is expected to begin announcing the visa revocations in the coming weeks in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the planned action but stressed that the final number of affected individuals could change.

He said the government was working with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who entered the United States claiming to be short-term visitors before filing asylum applications.

Pigott said the number remained dynamic and that the revocations would be implemented on a rolling basis.

However, the planned action would not automatically result in the immediate deportation of those affected.

Individuals with pending asylum applications would instead lose their B1 or B2 visa status while their asylum cases continue to be considered.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the proposed policy, arguing that visitor visas should not be used as a means of circumventing US immigration laws.

“Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law,” Landau said.

B1 visas are generally issued to foreigners travelling to the United States for business purposes, while B2 visas are commonly issued for tourism, family visits and medical treatment.

Applicants for both categories are generally required to demonstrate that they intend to return to their home countries after their authorised stay.

The proposed policy could affect Nigerians among other foreign nationals who entered the US on visitor visas before filing asylum claims.

However, the US government has not disclosed how many Nigerians could potentially be affected by the reported 200,000 figure.

The development comes amid broader efforts by the US administration to tighten immigration enforcement and scrutinise pathways used by foreign nationals seeking to remain in the country.

For Nigerians with pending asylum applications, the reported policy could therefore have significant implications, depending on the circumstances of their individual cases.