Filipino citizens residing in the United States are being told to seek professional legal counsel if they have doubts about where they stand, as American authorities move toward what could become the broadest cancellation of visas the country has ever carried out.
The guidance comes from the Philippine Embassy in Washington, which issued an advisory this week directing its nationals to keep abreast of shifting rules governing entry and residency in the United States. Anyone uncertain about their situation, the mission said, is “strongly encouraged to consult a qualified US immigration attorney or an accredited legal service provider for advice appropriate to their individual circumstances.”
At the center of the concern is a screening effort by the US Department of State targeting holders of B1 and B2 visas — the categories covering, respectively, business travel and tourism, family visits, or medical care. According to the embassy, the department has started examining these visas where the holder later filed for asylum, and cancellations are anticipated to proceed “on a rolling basis.”
The scale of what the State Department is preparing has drawn wide attention. The Associated Press, which reviewed internal department documents and spoke with two US officials, reported that as many as 200,000 people could see their visitor visas pulled — a figure the agency described as the largest single mass revocation in American history should it be carried out. The plan, still subject to possible legal challenges, would apply to B1 and B2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 whose holders have sought or are now seeking asylum.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott described the approach as a joint effort with immigration enforcement. “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,” he said.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau framed the policy in blunter terms in a post on X. “People in the US and all over the world are fed up with bogus asylum claims,” he wrote. “Asylum isn’t supposed to be a loophole to circumvent immigration law.”
Losing a visa under this action would not, by itself, mean automatic removal from the country. Officials cited by the AP indicated that most people with pending asylum claims would instead be moved into a separate immigration category, with their cases continuing while their visitor designation is stripped away. The AP reported that the screening began after the State Department obtained information about asylum requests from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The embassy stressed that outcomes rest with American officials, noting that immigration matters are “determined by the appropriate US authorities based on the circumstances of each case.” It also reminded Filipinos that they are expected to observe US immigration law.
For those needing urgent help, the embassy’s Assistance-to-Nationals line can be reached at 202-368-2767 or 202-769-8049, or by email at atn@phembassy-us.org.
