US likely to cancel 2 lakh business, tourism visas in mass revocation move

PTC News Desk: The Donald Trump administration is planning to cancel the business and tourist visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum in the US, according to US State Department documents seen by The Associated Press and two US officials.

If implemented, the move would be the largest mass visa cancellation in US history and could face legal challenges. The State Department is expected to announce the move in the coming weeks. It would target B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to people who have sought or are seeking asylum. The plan is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said officials were working with DHS to identify and cancel the visas of people who entered the US as short-term visitors but later applied for asylum to remain in the country permanently. He did not give an exact number, saying the cancellations would happen gradually and the figure could change.

The officials said visa cancellation would not automatically result in deportation. People with pending asylum cases would generally have their immigration status changed, but they would no longer be treated as business or tourist visitors. The officials spoke anonymously because the plan has not yet been finalised.

Since Trump returned to office for his second term, his administration has introduced several stricter visa measures. These include checking applicants' social media activity more closely, requiring costly visa bonds and restricting visas for citizens of some countries.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau also criticised asylum seekers on social media on Monday. He accused some people of using tourist and business visas to enter the US and then applying for asylum. He said asylum should not be used as a way to bypass immigration rules and referred to the case of a Colombian citizen who entered the US on a tourist visa in 2015 before applying for asylum.

B1 visas are mainly issued for business travel, while B2 visas are used for tourism, visiting family and medical treatment. It is not yet clear how many B1 and B2 visa holders have applied or are applying for asylum and could be affected by the planned cancellations.

People currently applying for B1 or B2 visas are required to confirm that they do not intend to seek asylum in the US and must show that they plan to return to their home country.