In a significant move that alters a decades-long US immigration pathway, President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to suspend the Diversity Immigrant Visa programme, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery. The order, signed on Friday, brings an immediate halt to the DV-1 visa programme for the 2025 fiscal year.
Executive Order Halts Long-Running Programme
The presidential proclamation, titled "Protecting American Workers and Temporarily Suspending the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program," frames the decision as a necessary measure to preserve jobs for American citizens amid economic challenges. The order specifically suspends the issuance of diversity visas, identified as DV-1, DV-2, and DV-3, for applicants for the fiscal year 2025.
The suspension is effective immediately from the date of the proclamation, December 19, 2025. This action directly impacts tens of thousands of applicants worldwide who were selected in the lottery draw earlier this year and were awaiting final processing and interviews. The State Department is now instructed not to issue these visas, effectively nullifying the results of the 2025 lottery.
Rationale and Legal Justification
The White House justification cites the need to address high domestic unemployment and to protect the nation's healthcare resources. The proclamation argues that introducing a large number of new permanent residents during a period of economic recovery could disadvantage American workers competing for jobs.
Legally, the administration is invoking authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, specifically a clause that allows the president to suspend the entry of any aliens deemed "detrimental to the interests of the United States." This is the same provision used for previous travel bans targeting certain majority-Muslim nations. The proclamation asserts that the suspension will remain in effect for 60 days, but it leaves open the possibility of extension based on a subsequent review of labour market conditions.
Global Impact and Immediate Consequences
The Diversity Visa Lottery, established in 1990, has been a unique route for individuals from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States to obtain permanent residency. Approximately 55,000 visas are allocated annually through this random selection process.
The immediate consequence is stark: all applications for the 2025 fiscal year are now void. Individuals who had progressed through various stages, including submitting extensive documentation and undergoing medical checks, have had their hopes for US residency abruptly cancelled. No alternative pathways or refunds for application fees are mentioned in the order.
This decision has sent shockwaves through immigrant communities globally, particularly in African nations, which have been significant beneficiaries of the programme in recent years. Diplomats and immigration lawyers reported frantic inquiries from applicants unsure of their status.
Political Reactions and Future Outlook
The move has ignited fierce political debate. Supporters of the administration applaud the focus on domestic employment, framing the lottery as an arbitrary system. Critics, including leading Democratic figures, have condemned the suspension as a cruel and unnecessary dismantling of a cherished American ideal of opportunity.
Legal challenges are anticipated. Advocacy groups are likely to argue that the proclamation oversteps presidential authority and unfairly targets a specific, legal immigration channel without due cause. The future of the programme beyond the initial 60-day period remains highly uncertain, casting a long shadow over the 2026 lottery cycle and the plans of potential applicants worldwide.
This suspension marks one of the most definitive actions taken against a legal immigration stream by the Trump administration, signalling a continued preference for merit-based systems over what it terms "random chance." The human and diplomatic fallout from this policy shift will unfold in the coming weeks and months.
