CanAm wins USCIS approval for first EB-5 infrastructure project

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved CanAm Enterprises’ Form I-956F for the Pacific Port Logistics Center in Carson, California, clearing the firm’s first EB-5 infrastructure set-aside project under the 2022 reform law. The approval backs a $180 million brownfield remediation and infrastructure loan tied to a site near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Why it matters: - The approval gives CanAm a reserved-visa path in the smallest EB-5 set-aside category, which can mean shorter wait times than the standard visa pool. - The project redevelops a long-contaminated brownfield into usable land near two of the country’s busiest ports. - The deal could support investor filings by locking in USCIS treatment of the project structure under the EB-5 Regional Center Program.

What happened: - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved CanAm Enterprises’ Form I-956F for the Pacific Port Logistics Center by letter dated Sept. 30, 2026. - The Carson, California project is CanAm’s first approval under the EB-5 infrastructure set-aside and its 19th approval under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022. - The Carson Reclamation Authority administers the project.

The details: - CanAm structured and administered a $180 million EB-5 loan to the Carson Reclamation Authority. - The loan funds environmental remediation and horizontal infrastructure for part of the former Cal Compact Landfill, a 157-acre brownfield in Carson. - The site is being prepared for development near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. - The EB-5 capital covers this phase of site work, while the vertical buildings are being financed separately. - The project’s economic analysis projects more than 13 qualifying jobs per investor, above the EB-5 program minimum of 10 jobs. - The remediation plan includes a public park as a community benefit. - The Carson Reclamation Authority is the governmental entity, the borrower and the job-creating entity. - USCIS’ approval signals that the investment fits the Regional Center Program under the RIA and is binding for related Form I-526E petitions.

Between the lines: - The infrastructure set-aside is narrow, so few projects qualify. - The set-aside directs 2% of the roughly 10,000 EB-5 visas available each year to projects tied to a federal, state or local governmental entity. - Reserved visas in this category have remained available to investors of any nationality, which can reduce waits for applicants from high-demand countries such as China and India. - Investors in set-aside projects invest at the $800,000 level. - When a visa is available, investors may file Form I-485 at the same time as Form I-526E. - Tom Rosenfeld, founder, president and CEO of CanAm Enterprises, said USCIS approval confirms the firm’s diligence in making sure the project met the infrastructure criteria.

What's next: - Investors in the project can now rely on the I-956F approval as they pursue related Form I-526E petitions. - The Carson site will move through remediation and infrastructure work before vertical construction begins under separate financing. - The project’s visa timing will depend on continued availability in the reserved category.

The bottom line: - CanAm has cleared a key regulatory hurdle for a rare EB-5 infrastructure project, combining brownfield cleanup with a potentially faster immigration path for investors.