'A privilege, not a right': US to revoke visas of up to 200,000 asylum seekers
The US government plans to revoke the visas of foreigners who came to the country for tourism or business but sought to stay longer by applying for asylum, the State Department said on Tuesday. The crackdown marks another step in the Trump administration’s signature drive to reduce immigration into the United States. The administration said it is now working with the Department of Homeland…
The United States government announced plans on Tuesday to revoke the visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who applied for asylum under false pretenses, claiming they were tourists or business travelers. This move is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to curb immigration into the United States. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed press reports about the new policy, stating that seeking asylum by falsely claiming to be a temporary visitor is considered fraud and grounds for visa revocation.
The White House suggested the revocations could affect a significant number of visas, with the administration claiming it would be the "largest mass visa revocation in history." However, the exact number has not been officially confirmed by the State Department, which stated that the revocations would be conducted on a rolling basis.
Since President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025, the administration has revoked approximately 175,000 visas from foreigners, citing various reasons such as criminal offenses and expressions of support for the killing of political figure Charlie Kirk. The administration has also revoked the visas of Mexican officials, including the son of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, eliciting a complaint from current President Claudia Sheinbaum.
The Trump administration has taken numerous steps to reduce immigration, including expelling individuals without proper residence papers and restricting entry for those who follow the rules. Some of these measures have faced legal challenges and have been limited by courts. Recently, a federal judge struck down a government ban on visas for nationals from 75 countries who wish to settle in the United States indefinitely, including Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Thailand, and Yemen.
With this new policy, the Trump administration is emphasizing that a visa is a privilege, not a right, as stated by Pigott.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
