WASHINGTON — The United States Department of State plans to revoke the tourist and business visas of those who have requested asylum after arriving in the country, the agency reported this Tuesday.
“We are coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify and revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners who have arrived in the United States claiming to be temporary visitors, but who then request asylum to stay here permanently,” State Department sources told EFE.
The White House said in a post on
This measure is expected to apply to those who obtained B1 and B2 visas, which correspond to tourism and business trips, between 2016 and 2026, and who have requested asylum or are currently in process.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Rubio, we are making clear that a visa is a privilege, not a right,” said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
“The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied or are currently applying for asylum status in the United States,” Pigott posted on the X social network.
Fraud?
The spokesperson added that “these types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return to their country of origin. Obtaining a visa to apply for asylum is fraud, which is grounds for visa revocation. This is an ongoing process as we uphold the integrity of our visa and asylum laws.”
Piggot explained that since the process will be continuous, “the number of revocations will remain dynamic and will be carried out progressively.”
The measure is part of the restrictive immigration policy carried out by the Trump Administration.
Lawyer: “Improper use”
Lawyer Ángel Leal told Univision that part of the asylum officer’s questioning of the applicants will be whether they arrived in the US with a tourist visa with the intention of requesting asylum, which is an improper use of the tourist visa.
The specialist said that the applicant would have had to have expressed his intention to request asylum upon arriving at the port of entry to the United States. “That’s part of what they might find out in that asylum interview.”
“They are going to formally revoke your visa and they are going to ask you about this on the day of the asylum interview,” reiterated the immigration specialist.
What is the recommendation
“Prepare” for that interview, Leal said. “Because I do believe that at the time of the asylum interview or in an immigration court, they are going to ask you that question: with what intention did you come at the time you entered with that tourist visa?
The measure by the State Department with the support of the Department of Homeland Security would not automatically mean immediate deportations, according to Fox News.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said Monday that asylum should not be used to circumvent immigration laws.
“People in the US and around the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims. Asylum should not be a loophole to circumvent immigration law,” Landau wrote in X.
Another 175,000 visas canceled
In early August, the State Department announced that, since Donald Trump’s return to power in January 2025, some 175,000 foreigners have had their visas revoked for reasons as diverse as criminal activities, violations of the law such as driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances, or even for having “celebrated” the murder of conservative Charlie Kirk.
Trump has made the fight against immigration a priority and has expelled illegal immigrants en masse. It has also broadly restricted the legal entry of foreign citizens in order to bring order to the US immigration system.
SOURCE: With information from EFE / Univisión / Fox News
