U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is ending the Biden-era practice of offering a third gender option on its forms, with a Homeland Security official declaring there “are only two sexes — male and female.”
The agency announced Wednesday that it is “updating the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify that it only recognizes two biological sexes.”
“President Trump promised the American people a revolution of common sense, and that includes making sure that the policy of the U.S. government agrees with simple biological reality,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
“Proper management of our immigration system is a matter of national security, not a place to promote and coddle an ideology that permanently harms children and robs real women of their dignity, safety, and well-being,” she added.
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Literature from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services sits available for immigrants before their American naturalization exams on Aug. 9, 2023 in Utqiagvik, Alaska. (ohn Moore/Getty Images)
The agency said the policy change is being made following an executive order that President Donald Trump signed on the day of his inauguration, titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.”
“Under this guidance, USCIS considers a person’s sex as that which is generally evidenced on the birth certificate issued at or nearest to the time of birth,” according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. “If the birth certificate issued at or nearest to the time of birth indicates a sex other than male or female, USCIS will base the determination of sex on secondary evidence.”
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President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter before signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Monday, March 31. USCIS said, “Consistent with the Jan. 20, 2025, executive order, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, USCIS is returning to its historical policy of recognizing two biological sexes.” (AP/Pool)
Last year, immigrants were able to select a third gender option, or “X,” when applying for naturalization.
“Historically, USCIS forms and associated documents have only offered two gender options: ‘Male (M)’ and ‘Female (F).’ This has created significant barriers for requestors who do not identify with either of those options,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said at the time. “Limiting benefit requestors to two gender options also creates administrative challenges for USCIS when we receive birth certificates or other official government-issued documents with a gender other than M or F.”
A staff member holds pamphlets and American flags before a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony inside the Robert N.C. Nix Federal Courthouse on Oct. 19, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pa. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“Adding a third gender option helps ensure that secure identity documents and biographical data are accurate and helps both external stakeholders and individuals requesting immigration benefits. It is also consistent with federal and state agencies that have adopted a third gender option, such as the U.S. Department of State’s expanded passport services to offer gender X in their application,” it added.
Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
