TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BLOCKS TRANS WOMEN ATHLETES FROM EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY VISAS. (PHOTO).

Trump administration blocks trans women athletes from extraordinary ability visas

The Department of Homeland Security is updating visa rules to block transgender women from coming to the United States to compete in elite women’s sports. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance aimed at preventing trans women athletes from obtaining “extraordinary ability” visas, which allow top-tier talent to enter the country for competition. This move builds on a prior executive order from President Donald Trump’s second term that sought to bar trans women from female sports.

The new guidance does not explicitly mention transgender individuals but refers to “male athletes” seeking to compete in women’s sports. USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said the policy is intended to close what they see as a loophole that allows “foreign male athletes” to gain an advantage by changing their gender identity. He described the update as a matter of “safety, fairness, respect, and truth,” emphasizing that only biological female athletes should receive visas for women’s competitions. The change impacts three visa categories for individuals with extraordinary abilities in fields including athletics and also affects national interest waivers, which let applicants bypass labor certification if their work benefits the U.S. The guidance states that competing as a male athlete against women is a negative factor in visa decisions and that waiving labor certification for trans women athletes aiming to compete in women’s sports is not in the national interest.

It remains unclear how many athletes this policy will affect or whether recent visa approvals have included trans women competing in the U.S. NCAA data shows around 25,000 international student-athletes participate in college sports annually, though the number of transgender athletes is very small, with the NCAA president noting fewer than 10 as of last year. The updated policy could influence athletes intending to compete in events like the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, though the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee recently banned trans women from female competitions. So far, only a few transgender athletes have competed in the Olympics, including weightlifter Laurel Hubbard and skateboarder Alana Smith in Tokyo 2021, with Canadian soccer player Quinn becoming the first openly trans and nonbinary Olympic medalist that year.