Kathmandu— The United States government is poised to cancel the B1 and B2 business and tourism visas of as many as 200,000 people who have either applied for or are currently pursuing asylum within the country. If implemented, this action would represent the largest single revocation of visas in US history, according to reports citing State Department documents and interviews with officials. The move is being coordinated between the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and targets visas issued between 2016 and 2026.

Visa Revocation Details

The State Department expects to announce the plan in the coming weeks. The targeted visas are B1, typically for business travelers, and B2, for tourists. Individuals affected had initially entered the US with these nonimmigrant visas before applying for asylum. According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, the action aims to address individuals who seek to remain in the country permanently after entering as short-term visitors.

Impact on Asylum Cases

Officials have clarified that the visa revocations will not automatically lead to deportations. Instead, most applicants with pending asylum claims would be reclassified into a different immigration category, effectively removing their business or tourist status while their cases are processed. This shift is intended to prevent what officials describe as abuse of the asylum system.

Administration's Stance on Asylum Claims

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau voiced strong criticism of individuals attempting to use visitor visas for asylum purposes in a recent social media post. He stated that “people…are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” and emphasized that asylum is not intended as a means to bypass immigration laws. This statement reflects the administration’s broader efforts to tighten restrictions on both visa applicants and those seeking asylum.

Broader Visa Restrictions

This planned revocation builds upon existing measures taken by the Trump administration to restrict visa access since taking office last year. These include increased scrutiny of social media histories, requirements for expensive bonds during processing, and outright bans on issuing visas to citizens from specific countries. In the past 18 months alone, approximately 175,000 visas have been revoked due to criminal convictions or accusations, as well as public criticism of US policies.

The State Department is expected to formally announce the details of this plan in the coming weeks, potentially setting a new precedent for how the United States handles asylum claims and visitor visas.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.