Specifically, USCIS will now treat a transgender woman’s prior competition in female sports categories as a negative factor when reviewing visa applications for categories such as the O-1A visa for individuals with extraordinary ability, EB-1 and EB-2 green cards for skilled professionals, 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 U.S. to participate in women’s sports.”

The move is part of a wider push from the Trump administration to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women’s divisions, a stance that has gained momentum ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In February, Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which directs federal agencies to enforce bans on transgender participation in female athletics. Some Democrat-led states have resisted the order, prompting federal legal action.

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In May, the White House threatened to withhold federal education funding from California over non-compliance and later sued the state’s Department of Education, claiming its policies violated Title IX — the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education.

The lawsuit, filed by the Department of Justice, argued that California’s approach to transgender athlete inclusion is not only unlawful but also harmful to cisgender girls and women.

“The state’s policies are not only illegal and unfair but also demeaning, signaling to girls that their opportunities and achievements are secondary to accommodating boys,” the DOJ stated.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has also warned that other states allowing transgender girls to compete in female categories could face similar legal challenges.

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In line with these developments, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced last month that it had amended its athlete policies to reflect the executive order.

While the term “transgender” does not appear explicitly in the 27-page Athlete Safety Policy, new language suggests a shift in approach toward gender eligibility.

According to NBC News, the updated document states: “The USOPC 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.”

The policy change effectively means that transgender women may no longer be eligible to represent the United States in female divisions at the Olympic or Paralympic Games.

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In another recent example, USA Fencing has implemented a new policy, effective August 1, that restricts transgender women to the men’s division.

The change comes months after a female competitor was disqualified for refusing to compete against a transgender athlete, sparking national debate.

As the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics draw closer, legal, ethical, and political tensions surrounding transgender participation in sport continue to escalate — with immigration law now joining the growing list of battlefronts in the debate.