The Trump administration has announced plans to revoke the non-immigrant visas of foreigners, including Nigerians, who entered the United States as visitors but later applied for or are seeking asylum.
The planned move is part of the administration’s wider immigration crackdown targeting both undocumented migrants and legal immigrants.
A US State Department spokesperson said the department was working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify and revoke the visas of foreigners who entered the country claiming to be short-term visitors but subsequently filed asylum applications to remain permanently.
The department did not disclose how many visas could be affected. However, the Associated Press reported that up to 200,000 business and tourism visa holders could be impacted, citing State Department documents and two US officials.
According to the AP, the State Department plans to revoke B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 to holders who have sought or are currently seeking asylum.
The planned revocations would not automatically result in immediate deportation. People with pending asylum cases would reportedly be re-categorised but would lose their status as business or tourism visitors.
The State Department said earlier this month that the Trump administration had revoked more than 175,000 visas belonging to foreign nationals.
Trump has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown since returning to office, including visa and green card revocations and an expanded deportation campaign.
The administration says the measures are intended to strengthen US domestic security and enforce immigration laws, while rights groups have criticised the policies over concerns about due process and racial profiling.