WASHINGTON, DC – August 26, 2026 (STL.News) The Trump administration is preparing a sweeping mass visa revocation targeting business and tourist visas held by foreign nationals who entered the United States as temporary visitors and later applied for asylum, a move that could potentially affect up to 200,000 people.
The State Department is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify foreign nationals holding B-1 business or B-2 tourism visas who subsequently sought asylum in the United States, according to statements from the State Department and reporting by The Associated Press, Reuters and other news organizations.
If implemented at the scale reported, the action could become the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history. However, the State Department has not officially confirmed that it will ultimately revoke 200,000 visas.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed that the department is coordinating with DHS to identify people who entered the country as temporary visitors and later filed asylum claims.
Pigott said the total number of revocations remains dynamic because the process will take place on a rolling basis.
The distinction is significant. Reports citing government documents and officials say as many as 200,000 people could potentially be affected, but that figure should not be interpreted as a final government count of visas that will be canceled.
B-1 and B-2 visas are intended for temporary visits
B-1 and B-2 visas are nonimmigrant visas intended for temporary stays in the United States.
According to the State Department, a B-1 visa generally allows temporary travel for legitimate business purposes, including consulting with business associates, attending professional conferences, and negotiating contracts.
B-2 visas cover activities including tourism, vacations, visiting relatives or friends, and receiving medical treatment. Combined B-1/B-2 visas are also commonly issued.
Permanent residence is not an authorized purpose of a visitor visa.
The proposed revocation effort reportedly focuses on B-1 and B-2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who later filed or are currently pursuing asylum claims.
The administration says some foreign nationals may have presented themselves as temporary visitors while ultimately intending to remain permanently.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau publicly criticized what the administration considers misuse of the asylum system, arguing that asylum should not function as a means of circumventing immigration law.
Applying for asylum remains a separate legal process
The proposed visa cancellations do not mean every affected person would be deported from the United States immediately.
That distinction matters because a visa and a person’s authorization or legal basis to remain in the United States are not necessarily the same.
The State Department itself explains that a visa’s expiration date and the length of time someone is authorized to remain in the United States are different concepts. A visa generally allows a foreign national to seek admission at a U.S. port of entry; it does not independently determine every aspect of that person’s immigration status after admission.
Officials cited by the AP said people with pending asylum cases generally would not face automatic, immediate deportation simply because their B-1 or B-2 visas were revoked. Instead, many could be reclassified while their asylum proceedings continue.
The practical consequences could therefore vary significantly depending on an individual’s circumstances, immigration history, and the status of an asylum application or removal proceeding.
The reported policy could also generate legal challenges once its details and implementation become clearer.
State Department has already expanded visa enforcement
The planned action is part of a broader tightening of U.S. immigration and visa policy during President Donald Trump’s second term.
According to the AP, the State Department has revoked approximately 175,000 visas during the past 18 months. Those cases have included foreign nationals accused or convicted of crimes, as well as others the administration determined no longer qualify for visas.
The administration has also increased scrutiny of visa applicants and holders, including expanded vetting and additional requirements in some visa programs.
The latest proposed action is different because it could apply to a large category of people based on the relationship between their original stated purpose for entering the country and a subsequent asylum application.
The State Department has said a U.S. visa is a privilege, not a right, and that visa holders remain subject to U.S. immigration laws and eligibility requirements.
State Department coordinates with DHS
Implementation will require coordination across federal agencies.
The State Department controls visa issuance and revocation, while DHS and its component agencies oversee immigration enforcement, admission to the United States, and significant portions of the asylum system.
According to the AP, the State Department screened B-1 and B-2 visa holders based on information it received about asylum applications.
Reuters separately confirmed that the State Department said it was coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke nonimmigrant visas belonging to foreign nationals who entered as temporary visitors and subsequently filed asylum claims. Reuters reported that the State Department did not provide a specific number of visas it would ultimately cancel.
That makes the widely reported figure of up to 200,000 an estimate of the possible scope, not a confirmed final number.
Visa appointment changes add to immigration overhaul
The visa-revocation development comes as the State Department is making other significant changes to visa processing.
On August 26, Reuters reported that the Trump administration had paused immigrant visa appointments worldwide while consular personnel undergo additional training. The State Department said it was adjusting appointments to accommodate a global training initiative designed to improve consistency in applicant screening.
Fox News also reported that U.S. embassies and consulates were postponing immigrant visa interviews while officers complete training involving updated public-charge guidance.
The appointment development should not be confused with the B-1/B-2 revocation proposal. B-1 and B-2 visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas, while the newly reported appointment pause concerns immigrant visa interviews.
Together, however, the developments illustrate the administration’s broader effort to tighten screening and enforcement across the U.S. immigration system.
Fox News video examines the visa crackdown
Fox News has reported on the planned mass visa revocation and published video coverage discussing the administration’s approach to visa enforcement.
In its August 24 report, Fox News said the effort could target as many as 200,000 B-1 and B-2 visa holders who subsequently sought asylum. Fox also reported that revocation would not automatically result in immediate deportation for affected foreign nationals.
Fox News’ video coverage includes comments from Trump administration border adviser Tom Homan discussing the administration’s broader visa crackdown.
What happens next
The State Department is expected to carry out any revocations on a rolling basis rather than canceling every potentially affected visa simultaneously.
Several major questions remain unresolved, including precisely how many people will ultimately be affected, how individual visa holders will be notified and what legal challenges may be filed.
The State Department’s publicly available visa information also underscores that visa revocation, visa expiration and a person’s authorized period of stay are separate legal concepts.
For individuals with pending asylum claims, the consequences will depend on their individual immigration cases rather than solely on whether a B-1 or B-2 visa is canceled.
What is clear is the scale of the administration’s planned review. If the reported upper estimate of approximately 200,000 revocations is reached, the action would represent an extraordinary expansion of the federal government’s use of visa-revocation authority as part of President Trump’s broader immigration enforcement agenda.
The State Department has not confirmed that all 200,000 potentially affected visas will be revoked, and implementation details remain subject to change as the government conducts its review.
Sources: U.S. Department of State, Department of Homeland Security statements as reported by AP and Reuters, Associated Press, Reuters and Fox News.
STL.News will update this report as additional information becomes available from the State Department and Department of Homeland Security.
