Status change: U.S. to revoke visas of 200,000 asylum seekers

The administration of the U.S. president plans to revoke up to 200,000 tourist and business visas for foreigners who have applied for asylum in the country or are in the process of obtaining it, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing State Department documents.

"We are coordinating our actions with the Department of Homeland Security in order to identify and revoke nonimmigrant visas of foreigners who came to the United States under the guise of short-term visitors but then applied for asylum in order to stay here permanently," says the agency document obtained by AP.

The agency's sources in the White House claim that the State Department will announce these measures in the coming weeks. They will primarily affect B1/B2 tourist visas obtained in the United States over the past 10 years.

It is noted that the revocation of visas does not mean immediate deportation from the United States for their holders, but they will lose the status of persons who arrived in the country with tourist or business intentions and will be transferred to another category.

Source: TASS