WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department is working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify and revoke the nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who apply for asylum, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Tuesday.
"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 said in a statement.
"These types of visas are issued with the clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home. Obtaining a visa in order to seek asylum is fraud -- which is grounds for visa revocation," he continued.
Pigott's remarks came shortly after multiple U.S. media outlets reported that the Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are currently seeking asylum status in the United States.
The move is expected to apply to those granted B1 and B2 visas between 2016 and 2026 who have sought asylum or are now seeking asylum, according to a report by The Washington Post.
In the Tuesday statement, Pigott did not confirm how many visas could be revoked in the upcoming action, saying that the number of revocations remains dynamic and will be done on a rolling basis.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, his administration has tightened immigration policies, cracking down on undocumented immigrants and increasing scrutiny of U.S. visa holders.
On Aug. 10, the State Department announced that it had revoked more than 175,000 visas since January 2025, when Trump began his second term.
On Monday, the DHS proposed a 103,265-U.S.-dollar fee for H-1B cap-subject petitions, marking the agency's newest move to restrict the visa program on new grounds. This came after previous efforts to charge 100,000 dollars for the visa were struck down by the courts. ■