2025 was perhaps one of the most unique and challenging years the EB-5 program has faced. Through it all, IIUSA and our members played a central role in the EB-5 ecosystem and the momentum the program has heading into 2026.
IIUSA members benefited from the association’s industry leadership, advocacy, business development reach, and expanding educational footprint to impact more stakeholders and federal policymakers now than at any time in the association’s history.
While the EB-5 industry weathered another year of complexity, opportunity, and global engagement, IIUSA stood firm and focused; ever cognizant of its goals and responsibility as the voice of the EB-5 industry: an expanded understanding among policymakers of EB-5 and its impact on the U.S. economy, more business opportunities for IIUSA members, and most importantly, permanent program authorization and the elimination of derivative visa counts.
IIUSA members’ influence in Washington, DC reached new heights; the association’s events grew in scale and strategic importance; our education programs expanded to serve both new entrants and experienced EB-5 professionals; and our business development efforts opened new international doors for our members.
MEMBER SERVICES
Government Affairs & Advocacy
The association’s dominant presence and unmatched momentum were felt most on Capitol Hill. In fact, IIUSA’s advocacy voice in 2025 was the strongest it has ever been. Since IIUSA started organizing “fly-ins” to bring IIUSA Leadership Circle members to meet with Congressional offices, the association has literally met with hundreds of offices. This year alone, with the incredible support of our lobbying team at The Reserve Component, IIUSA met with 150 offices; 113 of those meetings were part of the quarterly Congressional “fly-ins.” Of note, IIUSA participated in:
- 24 Capitol Hill meetings in the first quarter
- 23 Capitol Hill meetings in the second quarter
- 29 Capitol Hill meetings in the third quarter
- 37 Capitol Hill meetings in the fourth quarter
Each meeting had strategic purpose to educate new staff or policymakers about the impact of EB-5 in their state/district; to advocate for program permanence or at least a fix to the early expiration of the “grandfathering clause;” and to argue for the elimination of the derivative count.
Today, more Congressional offices know about and appreciate the EB-5 program than ever before thanks to IIUSA’s strong, persistent presence and momentum in making sure of their awareness. This isn’t just anecdotal – we heard it first-hand during these meetings. Congressional offices were more knowledgeable about the program and the impact it has. And it is our hope and belief that this awareness and appreciation will lead to very positive policy outcomes for the program.
Finally, a critical part of IIUSA’s advocacy is its political action committee (PAC). The IIUSA PAC received almost $89,000 in contributions in 2025 allowing it to make meaningful contributions to Congressional candidates that share our policy priorities. There is no other EB-5-related PAC, making the IIUSA PAC the only political action committee committed solely to the empowerment of the EB-5 industry. In 2025, the IIUSA PAC:
- received contributions from 45 different individuals representing 25 different member organizations;
- received contributions ranging from $25.00 to $5,000.00; and
- contributed to 13 different candidates since its inception.
Events
IIUSA’s foreign (Passport Series) and domestic (Industry Forum) events continue to facilitate business development, education, networking, and significant non-dues revenue.
Our 2025 international Passport Series events included gatherings in Bogotá, Medellín, Curitiba, São Paulo, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Singapore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Dubai, Taipei, Shanghai and Seoul. Our event in Istanbul, Turkey was a first as the association continues to explore new opportunities and audiences.
Additionally, IIUSA staff represented the association at global events hosted by other relevant organizations, extending IIUSA’s reach and providing new opportunities to promote EB-5 around the world.
Data Development & Management
Data remains the cornerstone of everything IIUSA does. This year’s data milestones included:
- Enhancements to TEA Map, Visa Dashboard, and I-526E Dashboard including:
- featuring new post-RIA data trends on EB-5 demand, adjudications, and visa usage by reserved visa category;
- analyzing TEA geographic changes based on updated unemployment data, highlighting new opportunities for EB-5 projects; and
- informing the industry of post-RIA processing times trends using new and exclusive data shared by IIUSA members;
- Growth in data tool usage, reaching 66,000 active users, a 33% increase from previous year; and
- Development of a new economic impact study, using the most recent figures from the Departments of State and Homeland Security as well as IIUSA’s proprietary data.
For the first time since 2019, a new EB-5 economic impact study shed light on the success of the EB-5 program, making it a meaningful and impactful tool on Capitol Hill.
Education
In 2025, IIUSA continued to be the premier source of EB-5 education for professionals, policymakers, media, and prospective investors. This year, the association:
- Conducted four (quarterly) pertinent and impactful webinars with 672 total registrants;
- Published a unique and in-depth Frequently Asked Questions document thanks to the tireless help of IIUSA’s Best Practices Committee;
- Facilitated the first-ever “EB-5 Basics Live” seminar at the Industry Forum in Houston, TX; and
- Registered over 70 users for the EB-5 Basics Training Module, a record year.
OPERATIONS & ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH
Communications & Crisis Management
This year, IIUSA navigated new questions including the Trump Administration’s unexpected Gold Card announcement and strengthened the association’s communications protocols with the media and to its members.
Among the association’s new media strategies was the development of the EB-5 Voices program, a series of testimonials from IIUSA members about how they utilize their membership and benefit from IIUSA’s contributions to the EB-5 industry.
Membership Operations
IIUSA added 76 members this year from across the EB-5 ecosystem, enabling the association to make an even greater impact advocating for the program.
Notably, the association’s membership grew among international companies, including migration agents and law firms. In fact, IIUSA welcomed 39 international members. This growth was supported by the creation of new “IIUSA International Forums” in India, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan. These forums are headed by IIUSA partners in these regions and are marketed to international EB-5 stakeholders to stay in touch with IIUSA and its work on behalf of the EB-5 ecosystem.
Programming for new members included the “New Member Welcome Social” at the 2025 EB-5 Industry Forum and personalized, one-on-one onboarding to explain membership benefits, familiarize new members with the Member Portal, and answer specific questions about the association’s advocacy efforts and political action committee.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION – IIUSA TEAM
Our success in 2025 and our momentum into 2026 are due in no small part to the incredible IIUSA team. I’d like to thank each of them for their commitment, their tenacity, and their creativity. McKenzie Penton, Quinton Lewis, Ashley Casey, Matt Harakal, Lee Li, and our incredible lobbyist partners at The Reserve Component, have continued to reinforce IIUSA as the voice of the EB-5 industry.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026
If you’re not already a member, now is the time to join IIUSA.
With a strong financial foundation, expanding membership, global reach, robust educational programming, and an increasingly influential advocacy voice, IIUSA enters the new year more prepared and influential than ever.
As we work toward securing a permanent authorization and a way to finally eliminate the derivative count, we should all feel very confident given IIUSA’s strong presence in the EB-5 ecosystem and the momentum its created headed toward all our goals.
Sincerely,
Aaron Grau
Executive Director
Invest in the USA (IIUSA)
