The Trump administration has announced plans to cancel the non-immigrant visas of foreign nationals, including Nigerians, who entered the United States as short-term visitors but later filed for asylum to remain permanently. The State Department confirmed on Monday that it is working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the visas of those affected.
Up to 200,000 B1 and B2 Visa Holders Could Be Affected
According to the Associated Press, citing internal State Department documents and two US officials, as many as 200,000 holders of B1 and B2 visas could be affected by the planned revocations. B1 visas are issued for business travel, while B2 visas cover tourism. If carried out at that scale, the action would mark the largest single mass revocation of US visas on record.
The State Department spokesperson did not specify how many visas would be revoked under the policy, but the internal documents suggest the scope could be unprecedented. The revocations would not trigger immediate deportation, but most people with active asylum cases would lose their classification as business or tourism visitors and be placed in a different legal category.
Which Visas Are Targeted
According to the AP, the State Department plans to cancel B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to anyone who has applied for or is currently seeking asylum. The policy would affect individuals who entered the US as short-term visitors but later filed for asylum to remain permanently.
Earlier on Monday, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X that the American immigration system "has long been swamped by frivolous asylum claims." The State Department also said earlier in July that the Trump administration had already revoked more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals as part of its broader immigration enforcement drive.
Part of a Wider Crackdown
The planned visa revocations are part of a sweeping immigration crackdown that Trump launched after returning to office, covering undocumented immigrants as well as those in the country through legal channels. The measures have included visa and green card cancellations, expanded deportation operations, and new fees for certain work visa applicants.
Trump has said the policies are designed to protect domestic security and uphold immigration law. Rights groups have pushed back, arguing that several of the measures undermine due process and free speech protections, and that ethnic minorities face a heightened risk of racial profiling as a result. Multiple legal challenges to the administration's immigration policies are currently ongoing.
US Embassy Reminds Nigerians About Stay Duration
In a previous report, the United States Mission in Nigeria reminded travellers that holding a valid US visa does not automatically determine how long they can remain in the country. The embassy urged international visitors to verify their authorised period of stay through their electronic arrival record after entering the United States.
