The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new immigration policy aimed at restricting visa eligibility for transgender women seeking to compete in women’s sports.
According to USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser, on Monday, August 4, 2025, the change targets what the agency views as a loophole in the system.
“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 said.
“It’s a matter of safety, fairness, respect, and truth that only female athletes should receive visas to compete in women’s sports in the U.S.”
US Imposes New Restrictions on Sports Visas for Transgender Women
Under the updated guidelines, USCIS will now treat the fact that a male athlete has been competing against women as a negative consideration in certain visa categories.
The new policy affects three visa categories granted to individuals with extraordinary ability in fields such as science, the arts, education, business, or athletics.
The policy avoids directly referencing transgender individuals or trans women, instead using the term “male athletes” in the context of participation in women’s sports.
It also extends to national interest waivers, which permit applicants to bypass labour certification requirements for green cards if they can demonstrate that their contributions significantly benefit the United States.
Also Read: Trump Warns California of Penalties Over Transgender Athletes in Girls’ Sports
These shall include the O-1A visa for individuals with extraordinary ability, as well as EB-1 and EB-2 green cards for highly skilled professionals and applicants under the national interest waiver.
According to the updated guidance, USCIS may view participation by male athletes in women’s competitions as a negative factor when assessing whether an applicant ranks among the elite in their sport.
Also Read: US Embassy Issues Fresh Update & Instructions on Visa Applications
Trump Warns California of Penalties Over Transgender Athletes
President Donald Trump issued a warning to Governor Gavin Newsom and the state of California in response to a transgender high school athlete’s involvement in girls’ sports.
In his Truth Social post on June 2, 2025, Trump stated that allowing a biologically male to compete in the girls’ state finals despite his previous warning would warrant large-scale fines.
“A biological male competed in California Girls State Finals, winning big, even though I warned them not to do so. As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large-scale fines will be imposed!” he posted.
Further, the US president threatened to cut funding to California if the state does not bar transgender students from participating in girls’ sports.
“As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large-scale fines will be imposed.”
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