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The administration announced plans to revoke business and tourism visas for up to 200,000 foreign nationals seeking asylum.

The administration announced that it is preparing to revoke the B-1 and B-2 visas of as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the United States. This move, which could be the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history, aims to address the issue of individuals entering the country as short-term visitors and then seeking permanent residency. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that a visa is a privilege rather than a right, and that using a tourist visa to seek asylum is considered a form of fraud. Immigration attorneys have clarified that while entering on a tourist visa and seeking asylum is legal, the revocation process will put many individuals into immigration court proceedings. The administration announced that these revocations will occur on a rolling basis between 2016 and 2026. For now, the process remains proposed, and officials stated that visa holders with active asylum applications must have their claims adjudicated and denied before removal proceedings can begin.

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