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The Trump Administration has announced a pause in the Diversity Visa (DV) program, in response to the shooting at Brown University and the murder of an MIT professor by an individual who obtained permanent residence in the U.S. through the DV program. The Administration has said that the pause will allow it to review the screening and vetting processes of the program and ensure that selected applicants do not present a threat to national security or public safety.
As background, the DV Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, is an annual program that offers immigrant visas to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. Applications are made through an electronic lottery. Candidates who are selected in the lottery may apply for a Green Card either through the filing of an adjustment of status application from within the United States or through an Immigrant Visa application at a U.S. consulate abroad.
What the pause means for DV lottery winners who have filed for adjustment of status:
- Applications for adjustment of status and associated benefits such as employment authorization (EAD) and advance parole travel documents will not be adjudicated until a thorough review of the program has been conducted.
- Certain other applications that are sometimes filed in conjunction with an application for adjustment of status will also be placed on hold pending review of the program. These include, specifically: I-602 Waiver of grounds of inadmissibility; I-212 Application for permission to reapply for admission to the U.S. after deportation or removal; and I-824 Application for action on an approved application or petition.
- All applicants for adjustment of status will be subject to a thorough review process, including a mandatory adjustment interview, and possibly a re-interview, to fully assess all national security, criminal, and related grounds of inadmissibility.
What the pause means for DV lottery winners who have filed for an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad:
- Existing DV appointments will not be rescheduled or cancelled.
- Applicants may continue to submit visa applications and attend interviews, but the consulate will not issue any Diversity Visas until the program has been fully vetted.
- Diversity Visas that have already been issued are not revoked as part of the pause in adjudications.
When and how will the pause be lifted?
- The pause will remain in effect until lifted or modified by the Secretary or Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, or the USCIS Director.
Does this announcement change the deadline for issuance of visas under the DV lottery?
- No. The deadline for issuance of Immigrant Visas or Green Cards through this year's DV lottery remains September 30, 2026.
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