US plans mass visa revocation for asylum seekers
The United States government is planning to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have sought or are seeking asylum in the country. This action targets holders of B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 who entered the US as short-term visitors but subsequently applied for asylum. The State Department, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, is expected to begin announcing these revocations in the coming weeks. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott confirmed the planned action, stating that the number of affected individuals could change and that the revocations would occur on a rolling basis. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau defended the policy, asserting that visitor visas should not be used to circumvent immigration law. While revocations would not lead to immediate deportation, individuals with pending asylum applications would lose their B1 or B2 status. This development could affect Nigerians, among other foreign nationals, as Nigerians have historically accounted for a significant share of African asylum applications in the US.
