US government restricts sports visas for transgender women
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US President Donald Trump invites young female athletes as he signs No Men in Women's Sports Executive Order at the White House in Washington, on Feb 5, 2025.
PHOTO: ERIC LEE/NYTIMES
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The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Aug 4 it has updated its immigration policy to restrict visa eligibility for transgender women seeking to compete in women's sports.
Under the policy update, USCIS will consider "the fact that a male athlete has been competing against women" as a negative factor when evaluating visa petitions in categories such as O-1A for extraordinary ability, EB-1 and EB-2 green cards for highly skilled workers, and national interest waivers.
"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," said USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser.
"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 move aligns with broader efforts by the administration of US President Donald Trump to regulate transgender participation in athletics and follows similar policies enacted at the state level across the country.
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee in July updated its policy
Mr Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order in February, a directive that supporters said will restore fairness but critics argue infringes on the rights of a tiny minority of athletes. REUTERS
