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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

US plans mass visa revocation for asylum seekers

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The US government plans to revoke business and tourism visas for up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for asylum.
  • This action targets B1/B2 visa holders who entered as short-term visitors but subsequently sought asylum.
  • The State Department will begin announcing revocations soon, impacting individuals' nonimmigrant status while their asylum cases are processed.

The United States government is reportedly planning a large-scale revocation of business and tourism visas, potentially affecting up to 200,000 foreigners who have sought or are seeking asylum in the country. This move, which could be the largest mass visa revocation in US history, targets individuals holding B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026.

These individuals entered the US as short-term visitors but later applied for asylum to remain in the country. According to documents obtained by the Associated Press and two US officials, the State Department is expected to begin announcing these revocations in the coming weeks, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the plan, noting that the exact number of affected individuals is dynamic.

We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently.

— Tommy PigottState Department spokesman, confirming the planned visa revocations.

"We are coordinating with DHS to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who have come to the United States claiming to be short-term visitors, but then file for asylum to stay here permanently," Pigott stated. While the revocations would not automatically lead to immediate deportation, individuals with pending asylum applications would lose their B1 or B2 status during their case processing. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the policy, arguing that visitor visas should not serve as a loophole for the asylum system.

For Nigerians, this proposed revocation could have significant implications, as they historically account for a substantial portion of African asylum applications in the US. Between 2022 and 2024, US immigration courts granted asylum to 1,372 Nigerians, while denying 1,534 applications. The development signals a potentially tougher environment for Nigerians seeking to use short-term US visas as a pathway to remain in the country, as losing their visitor status could lead to closer scrutiny of their immigration cases.

Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.

— Christopher LandauDeputy Secretary of State, defending the proposed policy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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