The United States government is reportedly preparing to revoke the business and tourist visas of as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who entered the country as short-term visitors but later applied for asylum.
The proposed action, which could become one of the largest visa revocation exercises in US immigration history, is expected to target holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press and US officials.
The B1 visa is generally issued for temporary business travel, while the B2 visa covers tourism, family visits and medical treatment. Applicants are ordinarily expected to demonstrate that they intend to return to their home countries after their temporary stay.
However, the US government is now moving against individuals who entered with visitor visas and subsequently filed applications for asylum in an effort to remain permanently in the country.
A spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed that the department was coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security to identify affected individuals.
According to the report, the revocation process could begin in the coming weeks and would be carried out on a rolling basis, meaning the number of people affected could change as the exercise progresses.
The proposed policy, however, does not mean that all affected individuals will automatically be deported.
People with pending asylum applications could lose their B1 or B2 visa status while their asylum claims continue through the immigration system. Their right to remain in the United States would therefore depend on the legal status and outcome of their individual asylum cases rather than the validity of their original visitor visas.
The development signals a tougher approach by the US government towards immigration and asylum seekers.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the policy, arguing that visitor visas should not be used as an indirect pathway into the American asylum system.
The proposed mass revocation comes amid a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump, whose administration has expanded deportation efforts and tightened policies affecting migrants and people with various forms of immigration protection. Recent reports have also highlighted US efforts to deport migrants to third countries, including several African nations.
For Nigerians, the development could have serious implications.
Although US authorities have not disclosed how many Nigerians may be included among the estimated 200,000 people, Nigerians have historically been among African nationals seeking asylum in the United States.
According to figures cited in the report, 2,827 Nigerians applied for asylum in the US in 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, US immigration courts reportedly granted asylum to 1,372 Nigerians while denying 1,534 applications.
For Nigerian holders of B1 or B2 visas who have already filed for asylum, the policy could mean increased uncertainty and closer scrutiny of their immigration status.
The development also serves as a warning to prospective travellers that a US visitor visa is intended for temporary travel and does not automatically provide a pathway to permanent residence.
The proposed action is likely to trigger legal and political debates, particularly over the rights of asylum seekers and whether revoking the original visitor visa could affect people whose asylum claims are still awaiting determination.
Human rights advocates are also likely to monitor whether the policy could place vulnerable migrants at greater risk of detention or removal.
For now, the US State Department has indicated that the number of affected individuals remains fluid.
But if the plan is implemented on the scale being reported, up to 200,000 foreign nationals—including an undisclosed number of Nigerians—could face the loss of their US visitor visas in the coming weeks, marking another major escalation in Washington’s immigration crackdown.
