Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

The administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing for what could become the largest mass visa revocation campaign in the country’s history. According to the Associated Press, up to 200,000 foreigners who have previously applied for asylum or currently have pending asylum cases in the United States could be affected.

According to documents from the US Department of State and statements from US officials, the State Department may begin revoking B1 business and B2 tourist visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to foreigners who later applied for asylum in the United States. The measure is expected to be carried out in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that US agencies are working together to identify people who entered the country as temporary visitors but later applied for asylum in an attempt to remain in the United States permanently. However, he did not provide an exact figure for the number of visas that could be revoked, emphasizing that the review is still ongoing.

Importantly, the cancellation of a visa does not automatically mean deportation. According to AP, many foreigners with pending asylum applications may be allowed to remain in the United States under another legal status, but they would lose their status as B1 or B2 visitors.

The requirements for future visa applicants could also become stricter. Applicants may be required to demonstrate that they do not intend to seek asylum in the United States and provide evidence that they plan to return to their home country after their visit.

The review of valid B1 and B2 visas reportedly began after the State Department received information from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) about asylum applications. The final decision on the mass revocation plan has not yet been made and could face legal challenges in US courts.

Over the past 18 months, the State Department has already revoked approximately 175,000 visas. The cases reportedly included people convicted of or accused of crimes, as well as some individuals who publicly criticized US policy. The department says it will continue using visa revocation as a tool for immigration enforcement and for identifying people who may pose a security or other threat.

These measures are part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown. The US has already introduced major restrictions on immigrant visa issuance for citizens of dozens of countries. During his election campaign, Trump also promised to launch the largest deportation campaign in US history. According to The Washington Post, the administration expected to deport up to one million migrants during the first year of Trump’s new presidential term.

In 2025 alone, the US Department of State revoked more than 100,000 visas, including around 8,000 student visas. This shows how increasingly important visa revocation has become as an immigration-control tool.

At the same time, it is important to distinguish between visa revocation and deportation. Losing a B1 or B2 visa does not by itself mean that a person will be immediately removed from the United States. What happens next depends on the person’s individual immigration status and the circumstances of their case.