U.S. to Revoke Up to 200,000 Business and Tourism Visas in Largest Purge Ever

The Trump administration is preparing what would be the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history, targeting up to 200,000 business and tourism visa holders, according to reporting from the Associated Press. The move squarely hits foreigners who entered on B1/B2 visas and later applied for asylum.

What is being reported

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 AP, citing State Department documents and interviews with two US officials, reported that if the plan goes ahead, it would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in the country’s history. The State Department is expected to announce the action within the coming weeks, working in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

What it actually does to visa holders

The revocations would not necessarily result in immediate deportation. Most of those with asylum cases currently pending would be recategorized but would lose their status as business or tourism travelers, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the revocations are not final yet.

B1 visas are generally issued for business trips and B2 visas are generally issued for tourism, family visits or medical care. Current applicants for B1 and B2 visas are asked to affirm that they will not apply for asylum in the United States and prove that they intend to return to their home countries.

The policy backdrop

Since President Donald Trump took office for his second term last year, his administration has steadily ramped up restrictions on visa applicants, demanding more information about their social media histories, requiring the posting of expensive bonds for the processing of visas, and outright banning the issuance of visas to citizens of certain countries.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called out people who he said try to use tourist and business visas to get into the United States and then apply for asylum. “People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” Landau wrote on X. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”

Do you want to see how to make more plays? Do you want to find gains yourself?

Unusual Whales helps you find market opportunities through our market tide, historical options flow, GEX, and much, much more.

Create a free account here to start conquering the market with Unusual Whales.

Why traders should care

A revocation of this scale hits inbound travel spend, hotel bookings, and consumer-facing categories that lean on international visitors. Business travel, cross-border deal flow, and tourism-heavy regions could see a marginal drag if the action lands as described.

It also fits into a broader immigration and enforcement trend that has been an active theme in recent policy news, with tightening at both the entry and enforcement ends.

Options market and stocks to watch

Watch for reaction in travel and hospitality names tied to inbound U.S. tourism and business travel:

ABNB: Watch for any read on international inbound bookings if visa churn accelerates.

BKNG: Global travel platform exposed to U.S. inbound demand from affected regions.

MAR and HLT: Hotel operators sensitive to any softening in foreign business and leisure travel.

DAL: Legacy carrier with meaningful international mix; watch for flow around international traffic guidance.

Want more market intelligence? Create your free Unusual Whales account for options flow, market tide, GEX, and the full toolkit.