Legal battle looms as Trump administration delays 2027 Diversity Visa lottery
The State Department has yet to set a start date for the 2027 diversity visa lottery, prompting a lawsuit that could decide the program’s fate.
The Trump administration’s indefinite suspension of the diversity visa lottery, originally created by the 1990 Immigration Act, remains unresolved as the State Department has not announced a start date for the 2027 program. Critics, including former Connecticut Congressman Bruce Morrison, argue the pause undermines constitutional processes. Immigration attorney Curtis Morrison of Red Eagle Law filed a suit against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alleging the government misled applicants about the program’s schedule.
Federal Judge Jinsook Ohta rejected an emergency restraining order but scheduled a hearing on a preliminary injunction for September 24, which could dictate the lottery’s availability for fiscal year 2027. The pause follows the administration’s response to shootings at Brown University and MIT in late 2025 and has left prospective applicants uncertain about their immigration prospects.
Why it matters
The outcome will affect thousands of potential immigrants and set a precedent for how the U.S. handles the diversity visa program.
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