Federal Court Orders State Department to Resume Diversity Visa Processing for Plaintiffs Affected by Entry Ban

Key Point 

• A federal judge has ordered the State Department to resume adjudication of diversity visa applications for a group of plaintiffs impacted by a presidential entry ban, citing likely violations of immigration law 

Diversity Visa  

On August 21, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction requiring the State Department to process diversity visa (DV) applications for 84 named plaintiffs from countries subject to Proclamation 10949. The court found that delays and refusals based on the proclamation likely conflict with statutory immigration provisions. 

Diversity Visa Adjudication Resumes for Affected Individuals 

The injunction directs the State Department to complete final adjudications for DV-2025 lottery winners whose applications remain pending at overseas consulates. These individuals are from countries impacted by the Trump-era travel ban, which restricted visa issuance under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f). The court ruled that the Department’s interpretation of this statute was likely unlawful and cannot be used to justify further delays. 

Key details include: 

• The injunction applies only to the 84 named plaintiffs and does not extend to others in similar circumstances. 
• The State Department is not required to approve visas, only to adjudicate them under lawful standards. 
• Twelve plaintiffs whose visas were previously refused are not covered by the order. 
• Final adjudications must be completed by October 1, 2025, the end of the fiscal year. 

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