The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourist visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who applied for asylum in the United States, a measure that could become the largest mass visa cancellation in the country's history.
The decision would impact holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 who subsequently filed for asylum, according to documents from the State Department obtained by Associated Press (AP) and two officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The formal announcement could take place in the coming weeks, and the measure would be implemented in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The spokesperson for the State Department, Tommy Pigott, confirmed to AP that both agencies are working to identify the affected foreigners.
"We are coordinating with the DHS to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but who then apply for asylum to stay here permanently," he stated.
Pigott avoided specifying the number of people affected because, as he explained, "the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be carried out continuously."
The cancellation of the visa would not automatically result in deportation, according to officials consulted by AP. However, those affected would no longer have that travel document, and their immigration status would depend on their standing while their asylum application is being processed.
The Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, defended the initiative on Monday and stated on X that "people in the United States and around the world are fed up with fraudulent asylum claims."
"Refuge should not be a legal loophole to evade immigration law," he added.
B1 visas are primarily used for temporary business travel, while B2 visas allow entry for tourism, family visits, or certain medical treatments. To obtain them, applicants must demonstrate that their stay will be temporary and that they have ties ensuring their return to their home country.
The new offensive would deepen the policy of visa review and cancellation implemented during Trump's second term. In the last 18 months, the State Department revoked around 175,000 visas for various reasons, including criminal convictions.
The difference now lies in the criteria being used: having entered as a visitor and then subsequently applying for asylum could become grounds for revoking the visa with which the person arrived in the country.
The initiative could also face a legal battle. On Saturday, August 22, a federal judge in Manhattan declared another measure of the administration, which suspended the issuance of certain immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, to be "patently illegal."
For the Cuban community, the announcement is particularly significant due to the number of migrants maintaining open asylum processes in the United States and the tightening of immigration measures in recent months.
Additionally, the arrests of Cuban migrants by ICE increased by 463% between October 2025 and April 2026, amid a migration crackdown that has heightened uncertainty for thousands of individuals with pending cases.
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