American Life, Inc., a leading EB-5 Regional Center, was proud to participate in the IIUSA EB-5 Passport Series, which wrapped up this week in Singapore, following impactful events in Hong Kong and Vietnam. This international event series welcomed organizations and individuals from across South and Southeast Asia to engage directly with EB-5 industry experts and learn about the latest developments in the EB-5 visa program.
Hosted by Invest in the USA (IIUSA), the EB-5 industry’s national trade association, the Passport Series provides a vital platform for education and advocacy. IIUSA represents stakeholders across the U.S. in efforts to extend, enhance, and secure the future of the EB-5 visa program—a program that has created hundreds of thousands of American jobs and generated billions in foreign investment in U.S. real estate and infrastructure.
Darrell Sanders, Vice President at American Life and a member of the IIUSA Board of Directors, was a featured panelist at all three events. Alongside other EB-5 industry leaders, Mr. Sanders addressed key concerns facing the program, including USCIS adjudication delays, visa retrogression, and the potential impact of political developments like the proposed “Trump Gold Card” visa.
Key Topics Covered During the EB-5 Passport Series:
- EB-5 RIA Compliance: Insights on how the EB-5 industry is implementing the Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, which aims to improve program transparency, security, and drive investment into Targeted Employment Areas (TEAs) and rural regions.
- USCIS Processing Delays: How prolonged EB-5 petition processing times are affecting investor confidence and project timelines.
- EB-5 Visa Retrogression Forecasts: Visa backlog concerns, particularly in the rural set-aside category, as demand from Chinese investors increases.
- The “Trump Gold Card” vs. EB-5: A breakdown of the proposed “Trump Gold Card,” how it differs from EB-5’s job-creation focus, and the lack of any current legislation supporting it.
- Reauthorization and Visa Reform: Why it’s critical to reauthorize the EB-5 Regional Center Program before its 2027 expiration and how excluding derivative family members from annual visa quotas could significantly expand capacity.
“Everyone involved in the EB-5 industry needs to start working now toward the coming reauthorization, with a goal of making the program permanent and with more visa capacity through the exclusion of derivatives from the annual allocation of visas. I strongly believe that 2026 will be our best opportunity ever to meet these objectives, as Congress has shown more positive support for the EB-5 program than ever in my thirty years in the industry,” states Mr. Sanders.
The proposed “Trump Gold Card” also drew significant attention at each event.
“People are confused about the program and the statements coming from the administration, or from what they are reading in articles online, including some generated by AI. Any new U.S. immigration program would require an act of the U.S. Congress to pass a law creating the new category and writing rules, and allocating visas to the program, thereby modifying the current immigration quotas under the INA. It would also require changes to the US tax code if it were to include the benefits suggested by the President. As of today, no member of Congress has introduced legislation to enact the program, let alone replace the successful EB-5 program.”
About American Life, Inc.
Founded in 1996, American Life, Inc. is the nation’s longest-operating EB-5 Regional Center, helping more than 3,000 foreign investors and their families obtain U.S. green cards through equity-based investment projects. With a track record of over 45 completed developments, American Life manages a robust portfolio of hotels, commercial office buildings, and industrial properties across the United States—projects that are wholly or partially owned by EB-5 investors.
As a recognized leader in investment immigration and EB-5 real estate development, American Life remains actively engaged with IIUSA and U.S. lawmakers to shape the future of the EB-5 visa program.
