World · Vietnam Bureau
US to revoke visas for up to 200,000 asylum seekers in historic move
The Trump administration is preparing to cancel business and tourism visas held by approximately 200,000 foreigners who have applied for asylum in the United States, marking the largest visa revocation in the country's history.
LSN Vietnam ·
The US government is moving forward with plans to revoke the B-1 and B-2 visas—commonly used for business and tourism purposes—of foreign nationals currently pursuing or who have submitted applications for asylum protection. The initiative represents an unprecedented scale of visa cancellations and reflects a significant hardening of immigration policy under the current administration.
The visa revocations target individuals whose status has shifted from temporary visitors to asylum applicants, a legal position the administration views as incompatible with holding visitor visas. Officials have indicated that the measure aims to prevent individuals from entering the country on temporary visas while simultaneously pursuing permanent residency through asylum claims.
The move affects citizens from multiple countries and sectors, though specific breakdowns by nationality or profession have not been detailed. Immigration advocates have raised concerns about the implications for legitimate business travelers and tourists, warning that the policy could create confusion about visa validity and discourage foreign travel to the United States.
The visa revocation process is expected to proceed administratively, though the exact timeline and implementation mechanisms remain to be fully clarified. The announcement underscores the administration's emphasis on tightening immigration controls and aligning visa classifications with applicant status under current law.