DHS and USCIS Implement Full Suspension of Diversity Visa Program

Key Point  

• The U.S. government has suspended the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, and USCIS has additionally ordered an immediate hold on all pending Diversity Visa–based adjustment of status applications

Diversity Visa Program Suspension 

In addition to the suspension, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a policy memorandum directing officers to place an immediate hold on all pending Diversity Visa–based adjustment of status applications. Under this directive, officers must:

• Place a hold on all pending Form I‑485 applications filed by Diversity Visa selectees
• Pause adjudication of all related ancillary applications, including:
  • Form I‑765 (Employment Authorization Document)
  • Form I‑131 (Advance Parole)
  • Form I‑601 (Waivers of Inadmissibility)
  • Form I‑212 (Permission to Reapply)
  • Form I‑824 (Action on Approved Petition)
• Conduct a comprehensive review of all screening, vetting, and adjudication procedures for DV‑based adjustment cases
• Require interviews or re‑interviews for DV applicants as needed to reassess national security, criminal, identity and admissibility concerns

USCIS states that the hold will remain in place until lifted or modified by the Director or the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Background

Previously, on December 19, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under the direction of Secretary Kristi Noem, ordered USCIS to suspend the DV Lottery Program, citing national security concerns. The new USCIS memorandum extends this action by halting the processing of DV-based adjustment of status applications that have already been filed within the U.S.

This directive follows the December 18 attacks at Brown University and MIT, in which law enforcement identified the suspect as a Portuguese national who entered the U.S. through the DV Program in 2017.

About the Diversity Lottery Program  

The DV Program makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available annually, selected randomly from all entries, for individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. 

Impact on Workforce: Attorney Insight

The memorandum signals a likely reduction in U.S. workforce competitiveness and diversity. It also restricts opportunities and pathways for individuals from underserved nations to contribute their skills and expertise to the U.S.

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