US Prepares Largest Mass Visa Revocation Targeting Up to 200,000 Asylum Seekers

The United States is preparing the largest mass visa revocation in its history, targeting up to 200,000 foreigners who hold or have held B1 and B2 visas and who have sought or are currently seeking asylum, officials said on 25 August 2026.

The action focuses on business and tourism visas issued between 2016 and 2026. Recipients who later filed asylum claims are the primary group. Once revoked, the individuals lose legal status to remain or re-enter the country on those visas.

Administration officials present the step as enforcement of existing immigration law and a deterrent against what they describe as abuse of the asylum system. Immigrant-rights organisations argue it will create chaos for people already in the United States and for those abroad who relied on the visas for travel.

Implementation details, including notification methods and timelines, have not been fully released. The scale will require coordination between the State Department, Homeland Security and immigration courts.

Asylum applications have risen sharply in recent years. Backlogs in the immigration courts already stretch for years. The revocations will add a new layer of enforcement actions alongside ongoing deportation operations.

Countries whose nationals are heavily represented among B1/B2 holders who later claimed asylum will feel the diplomatic and economic effects most directly. Consular processing and visa-issuance rates to those nationalities may also change.

Legal challenges are expected. Courts will be asked to examine whether the mass action complies with notice requirements and due-process standards. In the meantime the administration is moving to compile the relevant case files.

The announcement forms part of a broader tightening of immigration enforcement under the second Trump term. Separate measures on interior enforcement and border control continue in parallel.