WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department said Tuesday it plans to revoke the visas of foreign nationals who entered the country as tourists or business visitors and later applied for asylum, as the Trump administration expands its immigration enforcement efforts.
The department said it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify visa holders who officials believe obtained visas as temporary visitors while intending to seek asylum and remain in the United States.
“Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud — which is grounds for visa revocation,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
The White House said the policy could affect as many as 200,000 visas and described it as the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history. The State Department did not confirm that figure, saying the number of revocations remains subject to change and will occur on a rolling basis.
Earlier this month, the State Department said it had revoked about 175,000 U.S. visas since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. The department cited reasons including criminal offenses and conduct officials considered grounds for revocation.
The administration has also targeted visa overstays and other immigration violations as part of its broader effort to reduce immigration.
Some of the administration’s immigration policies have faced legal challenges. A federal judge last Friday blocked a government policy that restricted visas for nationals from 75 countries seeking to settle in the United States.
The administration also plans to expand reviews of visa applicants’ social media accounts.
“We are making clear that a visa is a privilege — not a right,” Pigott said.