A major development has shaken the hopes of millions who applied for the Green Card lottery this year. The US Department of Homeland Security has announced that the Diversity Visa (DV) program, commonly known as the Green Card lottery, has been suspended indefinitely.
Official announcement from Washington
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed that the decision was taken following direct instructions from President Donald Trump. The Diversity Visa program, which grants permanent residency to around 50,000 people each year, has been halted with immediate effect.
Reason behind the suspension
In a statement shared on social media, Noem said the decision was influenced by a recent armed attack at Brown University. She noted that the suspect, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, entered the United States in 2017 through the Diversity Visa program and later obtained a Green Card.
“This individual should never have been allowed to enter our country,” Noem said.
Trump’s long-standing opposition to the program
Noem also recalled that President Trump had previously sought to end the Diversity Visa program after a 2017 terrorist attack in New York, in which eight people were killed by an ISIS-linked attacker who had entered the US through the same visa lottery system.
According to Noem, Trump has consistently viewed the program as a security risk.
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“Immediate halt” ordered
Noem stated that she had instructed US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to stop the DV program immediately.
“On President Trump’s orders, I am directing USCIS to halt the DV program to prevent further harm to Americans,” she said.
What is the Diversity Visa (Green Card) lottery?
The Diversity Visa program allows applicants from underrepresented countries to obtain permanent residency in the United States through an annual lottery system. Winners must pass strict security checks and interviews before receiving Green Cards.
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