The United States government is planning to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied or are applying for asylum after entering the country on short-term visitor visas.
According to documents obtained by the Associated Press and two US officials, the move would target holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026. The US State Department is expected to begin announcing the visa revocations in the coming weeks in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the planned action, saying the government was identifying foreigners who entered the US claiming they were short-term visitors but later applied for asylum in an attempt to remain permanently.
He said the number of people affected could change as the government continues reviewing cases and that the revocations would be carried out on a rolling basis. The planned action would not automatically result in immediate deportation. People with pending asylum applications would lose their B1 or B2 visitor status while their asylum cases continue to be considered.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the policy, saying visitor visas should not be used as a way to bypass US immigration rules.The development could also affect Nigerians who entered the US on visitor visas and subsequently applied for asylum. However, the US government has not revealed how many Nigerians are included in the estimated 200,000 affected foreigners.
According to previously reported UNHCR figures, 2,827 Nigerians applied for asylum in the United States in 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, US immigration courts granted asylum to 1,372 Nigerians, while 1,534 applications were denied.
For Nigerians with B1 or B2 visas who have already applied for asylum, the planned policy could mean losing their visitor status and facing increased scrutiny of their immigration cases.
