WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency responsible for managing legal immigration to the United States, announced new immigration policies on Aug. 4 that are more restrictive for foreign athletes who identify as transgender.
The notice, issued by the agency, indicates that certain situations—such as a male athlete’s history of competing against women—will be treated as a “negative factor” when measuring a foreign national’s meritorious achievements against criteria for certain immigration benefits, such as EB-1 and EB-2 immigrant status—two classes of lawful permanent residency—as well as O-1A non-immigrant status, which are issued to athletes of “extraordinary ability” with national or international acclaim.
