Africans to Be Hit Hard as Trump Administration Moves to Revoke 200,000 Visas
The Trump administration plans to revoke the US visas of up to 200,000 foreigners who have applied for or are seeking asylum, a move that could have a significant impact on Africans who have increasingly used temporary visitor visas to enter the United States before seeking protection, according to the Associated Press.
The State Department is preparing to revoke B1 and B2 visas held by people who entered the United States as temporary visitors and later applied for asylum, AP reported, citing US officials and documents.
The planned action is part of President Donald Trump’s wider effort to tighten both legal and illegal immigration and comes as his administration steps up scrutiny of foreigners who enter the United States legally before seeking to remain.
Many Africans travelling to the United States use B1/B2 visas as their main route for short-term entry. The visas are commonly issued as a combined visitor visa, with B1 covering temporary business travel and B2 covering tourism, visiting family and friends, or certain medical treatment. They are not intended for permanent residence.
African nationals have been among those seeking asylum after entering the United States on visitor visas, particularly people who say they face political persecution, insecurity or other threats if they return home. The proposed policy could therefore affect a sizeable number of Africans who entered legally but later sought protection through the US asylum system.
The State Department has described the practice as an abuse of temporary visas. According to AP, officials are working with the Department of Homeland Security to identify visa holders who entered the country claiming to be short-term visitors but later filed asylum applications.
The government has not publicly provided a breakdown showing how many of the potentially affected 200,000 people are African nationals.
The planned revocations would not automatically mean that every affected person would be immediately deported. People with pending asylum applications could remain in the United States while their cases are processed, although losing their visitor visas could affect their immigration status and ability to travel.
The move is the latest development in Trump’s campaign to reshape US immigration policy since he returned to the White House in January 2025.
Trump has made immigration enforcement a central priority, ordering tougher action at the US-Mexico border, expanding deportation operations and seeking to restrict asylum and other pathways that allow foreigners to remain in the country.
His administration has also tightened visa screening and moved to restrict entry by nationals of a number of countries. The State Department has revoked thousands of visas for reasons including alleged criminal conduct, immigration violations and concerns over national security and public safety.
For Africans, the changes have created additional uncertainty around US travel and immigration. Washington has introduced tougher visa requirements for nationals of some African countries, while other African applicants have faced increased scrutiny and, in some cases, restrictions on visa processing.
The administration says the measures are necessary to protect US national security, enforce immigration law and prevent foreigners from exploiting temporary visa programmes to obtain long-term residence.
Immigration advocates, however, are likely to challenge the latest policy, particularly where people have legitimate asylum claims. US law allows people who fear persecution in their home countries to seek asylum, including in some circumstances after entering the country legally.
The proposed mass visa revocations could therefore put thousands of asylum seekers in a more precarious position as Trump’s administration seeks to make it harder for foreigners to enter, remain in or obtain legal status in the United States.
gandae@businessdayafrica.org