WASHINGTON D.C., United States — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new policy on Monday that restricts visa eligibility for transgender women seeking to compete in women’s sports.
The update will consider “the fact that a male athlete has been competing against women” as a negative factor when evaluating petitions for several visa categories.
The policy change affects visa petitions for O-1A for individuals with extraordinary ability, as well as EB-1 and EB-2 green cards for highly skilled workers, and national interest waivers.
This move aligns with a broader effort by the administration of President Donald Trump to regulate transgender participation in athletics.
USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser provided a clear justification for the policy.
“USCIS is closing the loophole for foreign male athletes whose only chance at winning elite sports is to change their gender identity and leverage their biological advantages against women,” he stated.
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Tragesser further added, “It’s a matter of safety, fairness, respect, and truth that only female athletes receive a visa to come to the US to participate in women’s sports.”
The policy is a direct result of the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order signed by President Trump in February.
Supporters of the directive argue that it will restore fairness to women’s athletics, while critics maintain that it infringes on the rights of a vulnerable minority of athletes.
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee updated its policy last month to align with the executive order.
