Green Card Lottery Program Suspended

On Thursday, December 18, 2025, President Trump announced the suspension of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) (aka Green Card Lottery Program). The DV Program was designed to award approximately 50,000 visas annually and to boost arrivals from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. On Friday, December 19, 2025, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum entitled: Hold and Review of Pending USCIS Adjustment of Status Applications Filed by Aliens Under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.  This memorandum went into effect immediately.

The memorandum directs USCIS personnel to:

1. Place a hold on all pending adjustment of status, ancillary benefits, and associated waiver applications for aliens who are applying to adjust to lawful permanent residence under the DV Program pending a comprehensive review; and
2. Conduct a comprehensive review of all policies, procedures, and screening and vetting processes for adjustment of status, ancillary benefits, and associated waiver applications by aliens seeking adjustment of status under the DV Program.

The recent mass shooting at Brown University and the murder of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor were crimes believed to have been committed by an individual who came to the U.S. under the DV Program. President Trump has consistently expressed his strong concerns that the DV Program does not serve the interests of the United States, and the Program, as structured and implemented, does not result in the immigration of people who are well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States and fails to keep our country safe. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem noted in her statement that another alien admitted through the DV Program viciously attacked civilians in New York City in 2017 with a truck, killing eight people and injuring 13 others. Secretary Noem commented that while we await further action from Congress to tighten our immigration system, it is critical that we take all steps within our authority to protect our national security and public safety. As a result, Secretary Noem has directed USCIS to pause the final adjudication of adjustment of status, ancillary benefits, and waiver applications filed by aliens seeking lawful permanent resident status under the DV Program. This action is found to be necessary to ensure that aliens who seek adjustment of status through the DV Program pose no threat to Americans.

USCIS will conduct a thorough review on a case-by-case basis to assess benefit eligibility. This will result in a delay to the adjudication of some pending applications, and DHS has weighed that consequence against the urgent need for the agency to ensure that applicants are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.

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