The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the U.S. business and tourist visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for asylum or are currently seeking asylum in the United States, in what could become the largest single mass visa revocation in U.S. history.

The plan targets people holding B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 who later applied for asylum after entering the country.

B1 visas are generally used for temporary business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism, visits with family and certain medical travel.

According to State Department documents obtained by the Associated Press, the department is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify affected visa holders. The revocations are expected to take place on a rolling basis.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the government is targeting people who entered the United States claiming they intended to stay temporarily but subsequently filed asylum applications in an effort to remain permanently.

The administration argues that asylum is being improperly used by some visitors as a way around the country’s immigration system.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau has also criticized what he described as bogus asylum claims, arguing that asylum protections are intended for people facing persecution rather than as an alternative pathway to immigration.

Does Losing the Visa Mean Deportation?

Not necessarily.

This is an important distinction for anyone potentially affected by the policy.

Revoking someone’s B1 or B2 visa would not automatically cancel a pending asylum application or mean that person will immediately be deported, according to U.S. officials cited by AP.

Many people with pending asylum cases would instead be reclassified under their current immigration circumstances while losing their status as business or tourist visitors.

Exactly how the policy will affect individual asylum cases remains unclear, and legal challenges are expected.

Potentially the Largest Visa Revocation in U.S. History

The scale of the proposal is what makes the announcement extraordinary.

If close to 200,000 visas are ultimately cancelled, AP reports that it would represent the largest single mass revocation of U.S. visas ever carried out.

The State Department has not officially confirmed that exactly 200,000 people will lose their visas, emphasizing that the final number will remain fluid as officials review cases.

The move also comes during a much broader tightening of U.S. immigration and visa policy.

Over approximately the past 18 months, the State Department has already revoked around 175,000 visas for reasons ranging from criminal allegations and convictions to other grounds cited by the government.

The administration has also introduced tougher screening requirements and restrictions affecting several categories of foreign travellers.

For Latin Americans who regularly travel to the United States for tourism, family visits and business — or who currently have asylum cases pending there — the latest development is particularly important to watch.

The State Department is expected to move forward with the B1/B2 revocations in the coming weeks unless the policy is changed or stopped through legal challenges.