Foreign-born religious workers in the United States may soon see relief from rising visa delays, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirms the Trump administration is working to resolve a growing backlog in visa applications.

According to CNA, driven by changes in immigration prioritization and a rise in juvenile green card applicants, the backlog under the EB-4 visa category has pushed many priests and nuns to the edge of having to leave the country while awaiting permanent residency.

Rubio outlined the administration’s commitment during an August 7 interview with Raymond Arroyo on EWTN News, where he acknowledged the impact on religious institutions struggling to maintain their workforce amid escalating processing times.

Growing Backlog Linked to Shifting Visa Policies

The delays stem from increased demand within the employment-based fourth preference, or EB-4, category. This category is designated for special immigrants, which include both religious workers and, since 2023, unaccompanied minors seeking permanent residency.

The influx of juvenile applicants has overwhelmed the system and caused green card wait times for religious workers to climb to over five years and seven months, according to recent assessments by immigration officials. This development has severely strained the visa pathway traditionally used by religious personnel such as clergy and missionaries.

Religious workers typically enter the U.S. on temporary R-1 visas, which are valid for up to five years. However, the expanding EB-4 backlog now threatens to force many to return to their home countries before their green card applications can be processed.

Proposed Solutions Aim to Prevent Displacement

Rubio signaled that the administration is actively reviewing options to address the issue. Among those under consideration is establishing a separate application path specifically for religious workers, apart from the current EB-4 queue.

“We’ll have a plan to fix it,” Rubio said during the interview. He explained that priorities in immigration have shifted to accommodate unaccompanied minors and noted that this reordering had come “at the price” of other categories, including faith-based applicants.

The secretary also stressed he was in ongoing communication with religious leadership, stating that bishops and cardinals have raised concerns as the staffing shortages make it difficult for churches to maintain services.

Bipartisan Support Builds for Legislative Solution

Congressional members have responded with a bipartisan proposal known as the Religious Workforce Protection Act. This measure would allow religious employees lawfully in the U.S. on R-1 visas to remain in the country as they await adjustment of status.

The bill received a strong endorsement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, whose president, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, emphasized the urgent need for protection. He warned that without intervention, local communities stand to lose vital religious resources.

According to Broglio, the legislation is essential to ensuring parishes and faith-based organizations can “continue to enjoy the essential contributions” of these individuals, who followed the rules to serve here legally.

Fraud Investigation Spurs Further Complications

Further complicating the situation are findings published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which discovered patterns of fraud in the process used by unaccompanied minors under the permanent residence program.

This discovery prompted additional scrutiny of juvenile applications, which, combined with their prioritization under EB-4, has slowed the system for all recipients in that group—including religious workers who are not implicated in the misuse.

Rubio reiterated that the administration does not intend to see houses of worship close for lack of qualified personnel, saying, “We’re not interested in that, and that’s not the aim here.”

Temporary Measures Under Consideration

Rubio noted that while long-term solutions might take time, “every option” is currently being evaluated. Among them is the potential extension of existing R-1 visas for individuals caught in the processing delay.

Such an extension would offer temporary relief to religious workers who otherwise face deportation due to the expiration of their visas—despite having already begun the complex green card application process.

The current system, Rubio acknowledged, was designed with fixed annual green card limits. Approximately 7.1% of those go to EB-4 cases, creating bottlenecks when demand unexpectedly surges within this narrow allocation.

Calls for Urgency Continue to Mount

Faith leaders and immigrant advocates have urged the administration and Congress to act swiftly, warning of long-term consequences for spiritual and community stability if the issue remains unresolved.

Rubio closed by emphasizing the seriousness of the moment: “We know it’s an issue and we’re committed to fixing it.” He affirmed that steps are being taken to ensure no faith group is disadvantaged by immigration gridlocks they had no role in creating.

As the Trump administration weighs administrative changes and lawmakers press ahead with new legislation, the future of thousands of foreign religious workers—and the communities they serve—hangs in the balance.