In a controversial policy change, the Trump administration moved to deny US visas to transgender women athletes seeking to compete in women's sports, stating that “Men do not belong in women's sports”.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this week that it has updated its guidelines to restrict access to certain elite visa categories, including O-1A visas for individuals of extraordinary ability and employment-based immigrant visas (E11, E21), to biological women only.
According to the new policy, male-born athletes, including transgender women, will be considered ineligible if their goal is to compete in women's sports in the US.
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The update directly responds to Executive Order 14201, titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," signed by President Trump earlier this year.
"Men do not belong in women's sports. 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.
{{/usCountry}}"Men do not belong in women's sports. 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.
{{/usCountry}}"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 Trump Administration is standing up for the silent majority who've long been victims of leftist policies that defy common sense," he said.
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The rationale behind the move, as per officials, is to protect the integrity, safety, and fairness of women's athletics.
The policy update also redefines how USCIS evaluates the accomplishments of foreign athletes. It states that any notoriety gained from competing against women as a transgender woman will be seen as a negative factor in visa consideration, even if those athletes have achieved international recognition.
Under the revised guidance, the agency has made clear that it will not consider transgender women's participation in women's sports as contributing to the US national interest.
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This policy marks the first time that gender identity has been directly cited as grounds for denying entry into the United States under the immigration system.
Legal analysts say the move is likely to trigger a wave of lawsuits, especially if visa petitions are denied explicitly based on gender identity, raising potential constitutional and international human rights concerns.
Trump signed the order in February
Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" order in February to protect opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports.
"It is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy. It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women's sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth," the White House stated.