Trump Admin Unveils Policy to Ease Burden on Foreign Religious Workers Affected by Immigration Backlog

January 23, 2026

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued an interim final rule to streamline the return process for religious workers who either left the U.S. after reaching their visa limit or chose to self-deport before their status expired.

Christianity Daily reports that the Trump administration policy is intended to ease the strain on foreign religious workers who have been forced to leave the United States as they await permanent residency amid a growing immigration backlog.

Under the previous rule, individuals holding an R-1 religious worker visa were required to spend one full year outside the United States after completing the maximum five-year period allowed under that visa category.

The new rule keeps in place the requirement that R-1 visa holders leave the country once their five-year stay ends but eliminates the mandatory one-year waiting period abroad.

This means that there is now “no longer a minimum period of time” that religious workers must remain outside the U.S. before reapplying to return under R-1 status, under the new rules.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained the rationale for the change, saying, “Under the leadership of Secretary [Kristi] Noem, DHS is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure religious organizations can continue delivering the services that Americans depend on.”

“Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to finding ways to support and empower these organizations in their critical work,” the spokesperson added.

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, EB-4 visas allow foreign religious workers to obtain permanent residency, while R-1 visas are intended strictly for temporary service in the United States.

With the formal publication of the interim final rule in the Federal Register last Friday, a 60-day public comment period has now been opened before the policy is finalized.

Photo: top, Credit: X/Homeland Security