U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating its visa policies to prevent male trans-identified athletes from traveling to the United States to compete in women’s sporting events.
The agency announced on Monday that it revised guidelines for various visa categories, including O-1A for extraordinary ability, in addition to E11 and E21 cardholders, and national interest waivers. USCIS also instructed the U.S Department of Homeland Security to develop policies that bar male athletes from competing in women’s sports.
The policy changes align with President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order signed in February. The order directs federal agencies to interpret Title IX rules prohibiting sex discrimination in education as prohibiting men who identify as women from participating in female athletic contests. The order demanded the rescinding of funding for programs that force females to compete with or undress in front of males.
Under the policy update, the USCIS will consider “the fact that a male athlete has been competing against women as a negative factor in determining whether the alien is among the small percentage at the very top of the field.”
The guidance also states that it is within the national interest to waive a job offer and labor certification for male athletes “whose proposed endeavor is to compete in women’s sports.”
“Men do not belong in women’s sports,” USCIS Spokesperson Matthew Tragesser declared in a Monday statement. “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.”
“It’s a matter of safety, fairness, respect, and truth that only female athletes receive a visa to come to the U.S. to participate in women’s sports,” Tragesser added. “The Trump Administration is standing up for the silent majority who’ve long been victims of leftist policies that defy common sense.”
Last month, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee updated its “Athlete Safety Policy” to align with Trump’s executive order. While the new policy did not mention the word “transgender,” the USOPC stated that it would comply with the February directive.
In its updated guidelines, the USOPC said it “will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities, e.g., IOC, IPC, NGBs, to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act.”
Penny Nance, CEO and president of the conservative group Concerned Women for America, referred to the USOPC policy change as a “notable step,” but insisted that there is still more to be done.
“This is a win for women, as it is inherently unfair for biological men to compete against women in any sport. Now, other national governing bodies (NGBs) must do the same,” Nance said in a statement shared with The Christian Post last month.
The conservative leader urged lawmakers to pass the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, a bill that would clarify that, for the sake of Title IX compliance in athletics, only female athletes compete in women’s sports.
According to a report CWA released last month, male athletes who identify as female have “stolen” over 1,900 gold medals from women and girls and won nearly $500,000 in prize money by competing as women.
The report’s findings are based on data compiled from recorded instances dating back to the 1980s and beyond of men competing in female-only events. Men identifying as women have also competed in more than 10,067 female sport events, both amateur and professional, according to the report.
In the state of California alone, over 521 female athletes were forced to settle for silver medals after a man defeated them at a women’s sporting event.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
