Religious Employers Struggle as Green Card Changes Cause Delays

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Key Takeaways

The green card backlog for religious workers, caused by added minor applications, pushes processing dates back to January 2019.
R-1 visa holders face uncertainty as green card delays may outlast the five-year visa, risking deportation or service disruption.
USCIS waived some requirements on January 22, 2025, but durable legislative action is still needed to resolve systemic delays.

Religious employers in the United States are contending with major obstacles caused by recent adjustments to green card processing for foreign religious workers. Significant changes to this process, implemented by the U.S. government in October 2024, have introduced delays and uncertainty, particularly for international clergy members aiming to settle permanently in the country.

The source of these challenges lies in a policy change initiated earlier in March 2024 by the U.S. State Department. For nearly seven years, applications intended specifically for abused or neglected minors from Guatemala 🇬🇹, Honduras 🇭🇳, and El Salvador 🇸🇻 had been misclassified. In correcting this mistake, the State Department added these applications to the same processing category as clergy members’ green card applications. This influx of new cases caused a dramatic backlog, resulting in the processing queue for religious workers being pushed back to January 2019, creating wait times that many experts estimate could last a decade or longer.

Religious Employers Struggle as Green Card Changes Cause Delays

R-1 visas, which are specifically designed for religious workers, allow individuals to stay in the United States for up to five years. However, with the green card process significantly delayed and the annual cap for green cards in this category remaining fixed at 10,000 issuances, many R-1 visa holders now face an uncertain future. As processing delays stretch on, it is likely that religious workers will reach the end of their visa term before their green card applications are approved. Should this occur, these individuals may be required to leave the U.S., interrupting their ongoing religious roles in communities that depend on their leadership.

Real-life examples illustrate these difficulties. The Diocese of Little Rock has been confronted with visa-related issues since 2022, with several priests leaving the U.S. for extended periods due to delays in processing. This problem has now worsened with the recent changes, limiting newer R-1 visa holders’ ability to submit the second stage of their green card applications during their visa’s validity period. According to analysis from VisaVerge.com, this backlog is contributing to ongoing disruptions in religious services across many faith-based communities.

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, affected religious organizations have taken legal action. On August 16, 2024, the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey 🇺🇸 filed a lawsuit against the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The lawsuit argues that the policy is unfairly discriminatory against religious employers and prioritizes non-religious applications while forcing religious workers to leave their congregations just as demand for their services is growing. The Diocese highlighted that under these circumstances, five priests risk abandoning their communities due to visa expirations.

Legal experts, however, are skeptical about this lawsuit’s chances of success. Immigration lawyer Dennis Glover called it “creative and interesting” but suggested that administrative changes within USCIS or congressional action to expand the number of green cards allocated for religious workers could more effectively address the problem. For now, the lawsuit shines a light on the issue, but its outcome remains uncertain.

The pending visa backlog impacts not just individual priests or ministers but entire faith-based communities. An estimated 90% of U.S. Catholic dioceses rely on international clergy to meet their ministry needs. The expected shortage of priests caused by immigration delays could place tremendous strain on parishes around the country. Additionally, there is growing demand for clergy who can cater to immigrant congregations. Such leaders are not only fluent in languages other than English but are also attuned to the cultural needs of specific communities that require faith practices reflective of their traditions.

Father Joel Ibebuike, a Nigerian priest working in Arkansas 🇺🇸, is one example of the unfolding crisis. His R-1 visa is set to expire in 2029, but unless significant reforms are made to the green card processing system, Father Ibebuike could face a mandatory one-year absence before applying for a fresh R-1 visa. He has voiced concerns about the strain that immigration challenges place on clergy members, particularly the difficulties of long-term planning and the mental stress associated with uncertain future residency.

Religious advocates and immigration experts have proposed various solutions to alleviate these concerns. Among them is a plan to allow R-1 visa holders to apply for green cards and obtain temporary work authorization while awaiting final outcomes. Another recommendation involves exempting applications from vulnerable minors from being processed in the same green card category as religious workers, thereby reducing competition for existing visa allocations. Faith organizations and legal experts are currently lobbying the Biden administration and Congress, seeking progress by way of administrative relief or new legislation.

Recent developments suggest that legislative action may be on the horizon. By December 2024, bipartisan momentum had formed around a potential bill to address the backlog and immigration challenges faced by foreign religious workers. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine 🇺🇸) and Tim Kaine (D-Virginia 🇺🇸), both Catholics, were reportedly drafting legislation that would aim to resolve these unique hardships. While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has refrained from offering public commentary, its representatives were seen advocating for religious visa reforms in Capitol Hill meetings held in December 2024.

While awaiting legislative breakthroughs, certain administrative adjustments have provided limited relief. On January 22, 2025, USCIS announced the waiver of some bureaucratic requirements for religious workers applying to adjust their status to lawful permanent residents. This change was introduced to make the green card process less burdensome and to address processing delays.

Additionally, President Biden took executive action on September 26, 2024, by extending the EB-4 non-minister special immigrant religious worker category through December 20, 2024. This measure temporarily permitted individuals engaged in religious vocations, whether in ministerial roles or other capacities, to adjust their immigration status before the extension’s “sunset date.”

Despite these actions, challenges persist. The backlog for green card applications in the religious worker category remains daunting, leaving many religious communities uncertain about their ability to sustain adequate leadership. With limitations to what administrative measures can resolve, the focus has increasingly shifted toward finding durable legislative solutions to balance immigration policies with the practical needs of U.S.-based religious organizations.

The broader implications of this immigration dilemma cannot be understated. Many immigrant congregations in the U.S. rely on clergy who bring linguistic and cultural expertise to their faith practices, creating bonds essential to immigrant support networks. As lobbying efforts continue and Congress considers various proposals, religious employers hope for swift policy changes that recognize the vital contributions made by foreign religious workers to their communities.

For individuals affected or concerned, more information about immigration processes specific to R-1 visa holders and religious workers can be found directly through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at www.uscis.gov. Those impacted are advised to consult qualified immigration professionals for guidance on navigating these evolving challenges.

In conclusion, while religious communities and advocates continue to seek swift reform, this ongoing green card backlog underscores the critical intersection of immigration policy and faith-based support systems in the United States. Legislative and executive actions in the coming months will determine whether religious organizations can adequately meet the spiritual and cultural needs of their diverse communities.

Learn Today

Green Card → A document granting an immigrant lawful permanent residency in the U.S., allowing them to live and work indefinitely.
R-1 Visa → A temporary visa for foreign religious workers to stay in the U.S. for up to five years.
USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) → A federal agency managing lawful immigration, including visa and green card applications, in the United States.
Visa Backlog → A delay in processing visa or immigration applications due to a large volume of pending cases.
EB-4 Visa → A special immigrant visa category for certain workers, including religious individuals, seeking permanent residency in the U.S.

This Article in a Nutshell

Delays in U.S. green card processing for religious workers are disrupting faith communities nationwide. A backlog caused by reclassified applications pushes wait times to a decade, straining clergy on expiring R-1 visas. Immigration reforms are urgently needed to sustain leadership in diverse congregations, ensuring cultural and spiritual support for growing communities.
— By VisaVerge.com