In a recent interview, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration plans to act on long delays affecting religious worker visa applicants.

According to CNA, Rubio confirmed the administration is developing a new process to separate religious worker applicants from other visa seekers in response to a rapid increase in cases involving underage immigrants.

On August 7, Rubio appeared on EWTN News to announce efforts to resolve a mounting backlog impacting religious workers pursuing permanent residency in the United States. He cited the administration's plan to build a distinct system under the employment-based fourth preference, or EB-4, category that would allow religious workers to be considered apart from other applicants.

Rubio said the increase in delays began after authorities expanded the EB-4 category in 2023 to include unaccompanied minors. Since then, green card wait times have ballooned to five years and seven months or longer for all applicants under the category, including clergy and religious workers.

This prolonged processing time poses a serious risk for religious institutions across the country. Workers typically enter the U.S. on R-1 visas, which are valid for five years, and face the possibility of forced departure before their green card applications are adjudicated.

Religious Communities Affected by Visa Bottleneck

“We’ll have a plan to fix it,” Rubio said during the interview, describing the issue as an unintended result of shifting priorities in the immigration system. He explained that changes in how visa slots were allocated left some categories, including religious workers, at a disadvantage.

“In many cases,” he said, “what you were finding is you had [a certain] number of people you were going to allow a year, [and] you prioritized people that were coming here from a different migration [background] and it came at the price of some of these others.”

The U.S. Congress determines how many visas can be distributed under each employment-based category, with the EB-4 group comprising just over 7% of the total each year. When the number of applicants surged with the inclusion of unaccompanied minors, processing delays worsened throughout the category.

Rubio Supports ‘Standalone Process’ for Clergy Applicants

Rubio disclosed that he has been working with U.S. cardinals and bishops, emphasizing that the problem reaches beyond the Catholic Church, affecting a broad range of religious organizations. “It’s not only the Catholic Church — I mean there are other places that are being impacted,” he said.

He emphasized the administration’s aim to prevent disruptions to religious life caused by visa issues, adding, “We don’t want to read headlines that some Catholic church had to close because it couldn’t get their priests here or some order closed because some nun couldn’t get here.”

Although the administration has not announced specific policy changes yet, Rubio noted that extending R-1 visas while applicants await their green cards is one of the options under review. “We’re looking at every option,” he said.

Bipartisan Legislation Aims to Support Visa Holders

In addition to the administrative remedies under consideration, lawmakers in Congress have introduced the Religious Workforce Protection Act. This bipartisan bill is designed to ensure that religious workers, such as priests and nuns who enter the U.S. legally on R-1 visas, are not forced to leave before receiving permanent residency.

The legislation has received the backing of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the conference, called the bill “desperately needed” and praised it for recognizing the value foreign religious personnel bring to local communities.

Rubio agreed that religious workers serve essential roles across American society, and he affirmed the administration’s determination to address the problem. “We know it’s an issue,” he said, “and we’re committed to fixing it.”

Immigration Rules Continue to Evolve Under Scrutiny

As religious communities continue to advocate for quicker approvals and a more predictable path to residency, the EB-4 backlog remains a point of concern amid broader immigration debates. The plan to establish a separate process for religious workers is still in development.

The Trump administration’s move to address this visa challenge underscores broader tensions between humanitarian immigration priorities and the needs of U.S.-based institutions. Faith leaders across denominations are urging action before more religious workers are forced to leave the country.

Until new rules or legislative relief take effect, religious workers with pending applications may face difficult decisions. Many communities remain hopeful that proposed reforms will help retain vital personnel who support spiritual services and community outreach nationwide.