U.S. set for mass visa revocation of up to 200,000 foreigners, officials say : NPR

Key Points:

• The Trump administration plans to revoke business (B1) and tourism (B2) visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are seeking asylum in the U.S., marking the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history.
• The revocation will target visas issued between 2016 and 2026 and will be coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security; those affected would lose their visitor status but would not necessarily face immediate deportation.
• This move follows a broader tightening of visa restrictions under the Trump administration, including demands for social media histories, bond postings, and bans on certain nationalities.
• Officials emphasize that asylum is not intended as a loophole for circumventing immigration laws, citing cases of tourists applying for asylum after entry.
• The administration has also revoked approximately 175,000 visas over the past 18 months for criminal convictions and public dissent, and is cracking down on birth tourism, though legal challenges to ending birthright citizenship have so far failed.