The Green Card Lottery, officially known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, annually provides up to 50,000 immigration visas. This program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1990 with the aim of increasing the diversity of immigration flows from countries with low levels of immigration to the U.S. Each year, about 20 million people apply, and approximately 50,000 to 55,000 winners are selected. However, no more than 7% of the total number of applications can be selected from each country (about 3,500). Participants must have completed secondary education or possess relevant work experience. Winning does not guarantee automatic entry: selected individuals must undergo verification, provide necessary documents, and attend an interview at the consulate by the end of the fiscal year (by September 30), otherwise, the win is canceled.
Many view the DV Lottery program as a unique opportunity to legally move to the U.S. without the need for a sponsor. Over the years, it has provided green cards to tens of thousands of people from various countries, including Kyrgyzstan. Despite its popularity, the lottery has repeatedly become the subject of political debates. During Donald Trump's first term, his administration criticized the DV Lottery for flaws in the selection system. In 2017, Trump urged Congress to abolish the program, claiming it allowed "the worst" immigrants into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in New York carried out by an individual who obtained a visa through this program.
Suspension of the Drawing in 2025
In the fall of 2025, a scandal occurred that led to the temporary suspension of the DV Lottery. In December, an attack took place at Brown University, resulting in the deaths of two students and injuries to nine others. Later, the perpetrator killed a professor at MIT and fled; during his arrest, 48-year-old Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente committed suicide. Valente had received a green card through the Diversity Visa lottery in 2017, which drew immediate attention from the White House.On December 18, 2025, Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem announced an urgent suspension of the DV Lottery program.
"At the direction of President Trump, I am ordering USCIS to immediately suspend the DV1 program to prevent further tragedies," Noem wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
She characterized the shooter as "a disgusting creature who should never have entered our country." The administration claimed that the perpetrator would not have been able to carry out his actions if it weren't for the DV Lottery, which allowed him to immigrate.
The U.S. State Department clarified in an official statement that the issuance of all visas under the DV program was temporarily suspended "in light of the events at Brown University." Authorities noted that the pause was necessary to review the selection and verification procedures for lottery participants, aiming to eliminate potential vulnerabilities in the program.
Critics accuse the U.S. government of manipulating public fears. American human rights advocates and immigration lawyers emphasize that linking the actions of a specific immigrant to the program is unjustifiable. Mass shootings in the U.S. are most often committed by non-immigrants, and halting the DV Lottery will not prevent such tragedies.
"The diversity program was not the cause of this tragedy, and its suspension will not bring back the victims," stated attorney David Keller, accusing the administration of inciting anti-immigrant sentiments.
Does the President Have the Right to Suspend a Program Created by Congress?
The question of whether the U.S. president can suspend the Green Card lottery, given that the program is enshrined in immigration law, remains open. Formally, only Congress can change quotas or completely abolish the program through amendments to the law. However, the Trump administration utilized an executive order, effectively suspending the implementation of the program under the pretext of ensuring national security.The White House likely relies on precedents where the president has broad powers in immigration matters if he believes that the entry of certain groups may threaten U.S. interests (as stated in Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act). Trump previously imposed a travel ban—restrictions on entry from several countries. In the case of the DV Lottery, the approach is different: government agencies simply do not accept new applications and do not issue visas for already conducted drawings, citing the need to review processes. Officially, the State Department has not canceled the program but speaks of a temporary suspension without specifying a timeframe. Within the U.S., this is referred to as an "administrative pause," which does not nullify the law but slows its implementation.
American lawyers believe that such actions by the authorities effectively contradict the spirit of the law and predict legal disputes. Immigration attorneys are already calling the situation an illegal "sabotage" of the system, preparing lawsuits. For example, a coalition of law firms, IMMpact Litigation, announced in December that it would file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of individuals affected by the suspension of the DV Lottery and related restrictions. Human rights advocates intend to prove that the executive branch is overstepping its authority, effectively nullifying a law approved by Congress. A similar situation arose in 2020 when Trump attempted to suspend the entry of DV Lottery winners due to the pandemic, but a federal judge ordered the State Department to resume visa issuance, citing violations of applicants' rights. Although the final court ruling did not extend the visa issuance deadlines (many DV-2020 winners were unable to enter due to the temporary ban), the precedent showed that the court could side with immigrants.
American lawyers speculate that the administration currently has a weak legal position: the DV Lottery remains part of existing legislation, and its indefinite freeze without Congress's consent could be challenged in court. As of now, there are no known court rulings on the substance of the suspension (as of early 2026), but collective lawsuits from organizations defending immigrant rights are expected. It is likely that judges will have to decide whether the president can simply stop issuing legal visas on security or economic burden grounds. The legal prospects of such orders appear doubtful, especially if plaintiffs can prove that a political agenda is being implemented under the guise of security without a real threat.
What Awaits the DV Lottery in 2026 and 2027?
The suspension of the program has created enormous uncertainty for millions of potential immigrants. The fall drawing for DV-2027, scheduled for 2025, did not take place on time. Normally, the application period occurs in October-November, but on November 5, 2025, the State Department announced the postponement of the application start date indefinitely due to the need for changes in the process. Initially, it was expected that the collection of applications would occur later, and the results would be announced later than usual. But within a month, the program was "suspended," and the future of DV-2027 became uncertain. As of early 2026, there has been no official announcement regarding the cancellation of DV-2027, but the dates for the drawing remain unknown. State Department representatives only confirm that no new lotteries are planned. This means that DV-2027 is unlikely to occur unless judicial or political changes lead to the resumption of the program.What About the Winners?
The situation is also complicated for those already selected as winners of previous drawings. Winners of DV-2025 (applications submitted in the fall of 2023, results announced in the spring of 2024) were supposed to receive visas by September 2025. However, DV-2026 (applications submitted in the fall of 2024, results announced in May 2025) is the first group to be affected. These winners were in the process of preparing documents by the end of 2025, many were waiting for interviews or visa confirmations. Now, the State Department has stated that while applications can be submitted and interviews can be conducted, the issuance of DV visas will be suspended until further notice. Consulates are not canceling already scheduled interviews, but as a result, individuals either receive a denial or information about the suspension of visa issuance. No exceptions are provided, even in emergency cases. However, already issued visas remain valid, and if someone has a valid immigration visa, it remains in effect. Nevertheless, there is a risk that entry on this visa may not be possible, but so far, there has been no direct ban on entry with a DV visa.Winners of DV-2026 face the threat of missed opportunities: by law, they must immigrate by September 30, 2026. If visas are not issued by that date, the win will be canceled—there is no possibility of extension. Immigration organizations may attempt to seek through the courts an extension of deadlines or a mandate to issue visas, but there are no guarantees of success.
Will There Be a Lottery in the Fall of 2026? As for DV-2028 (applications in 2026 for immigration in 2028), the exact answer is still unknown. If the current administration continues to adhere to the current course, the DV drawing is unlikely to take place in the fall of 2026. The State Department has not made any official statements regarding DV-2028. Moreover, considering that the pause has been declared "indefinite," new lotteries should not be expected until either Trump changes his position (which is unlikely), or the courts intervene, or changes occur in the political leadership of the U.S. Currently, the DV Lottery is in a frozen state, although the legislative basis for it remains. Interestingly, even despite the suspension of the program, the State Department publicly warns about fraudsters: U.S. embassies in various countries warn that any announcements about collecting applications for DV-2027 are scams and urge citizens not to fall for tricks until official announcements about the resumption of the lottery are made.
Suspension of Immigration Visas from January 21, 2026
While thousands of DV Lottery winners are in a state of uncertainty, the U.S. administration has announced another step against legal immigration. Starting January 21, 2026, the U.S. will suspend the processing of any immigration visas for citizens of 75 countries. The State Department announced this on January 14, 2026, citing a tightening of policies aimed at preventing immigrants who may become a burden on the budget. The long list includes countries from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the post-Soviet space.The new moratorium means that consulates are instructed not to issue new immigration visas to applicants from these 75 countries until an updated system for checking welfare and reliability is implemented. According to the State Department, consular officers have been directed to deny immigration visas to applicants from the specified countries starting January 21 and to postpone the consideration of new cases. The formal reason is concerns that these foreigners may "become a burden on the U.S. budget" by taking advantage of social benefits.
"The Trump administration will put an end to abuses in the immigration system by those seeking to live off the American people," stated the official announcement from the State Department.
It is noted that the pause will last until the selection procedures are reviewed and additional filters against potential beneficiaries of benefits are implemented. Non-immigrant (temporary) visas are not subject to this ban—tourists, students, and temporary workers from these countries can still apply for temporary visas.
It is important to note that this "ban" on participation in the lottery is not the same as a ban on issuing visas. A country's participation in the DV Lottery is determined by legislation and immigration statistics (for example, countries from which more than 50,000 immigrants have arrived in the last five years are excluded from subsequent drawings). Previously, Kyrgyzstan met the criteria for participation and was consistently included in the list of eligible countries. The introduced restriction pertains to the overall visa policy: U.S. consulates are temporarily not issuing immigration visas to citizens of Kyrgyzstan (and other specified countries) regardless of the basis for the application. Thus, even if the DV Lottery is resumed, and you apply and win, obtaining a visa before the moratorium is lifted will not be possible. In practice, as long as the DV Lottery remains on pause, the question of participation of specific countries remains theoretical.
The new rule is already being referred to as an "immigration ban," comparable in scale to Trump's initial orders in 2017. The difference is that the focus now is not only on security but also on economic criteria for selecting immigrants—essentially introducing a property requirement. The countries affected are primarily those with low income levels, and the decision itself contradicts the spirit of the American system.
