US govt suspends 'disastrous' green card lottery program: What does it mean for Indian applicants?
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to X to confirm the move, stating that she had ordered the USCIS to pause the program to ensure that no more harm would come to Americans from this "disastrous" program
- Dec 19, 2025,
- Updated Dec 19, 2025 12:48 PM IST
In a significant move, US President Donald Trump has announced the suspension of the Diversity Visa Program, also known as the green card lottery system, which enabled the suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings to enter the country. This decision marks a notable shift in immigration policy.
US President Donald Trump’s recent suspension of the Diversity Visa Program has stirred intense debate, particularly after it was revealed that the suspect involved in the Brown University and MIT shootings entered the country through this program.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the move, stating that, following Trump’s direction, she had ordered the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pause the program to ensure that no more harm would come to Americans from this "disastrous" program. "This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country," she said in her post.
The Diversity Visa Program has long provided 50,000 green cards annually through a lottery system, aimed at individuals from countries with low immigration rates to the US, many of whom hail from Africa. Countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines, which have high immigration numbers to the US, are typically disqualified from the lottery.
In 2021, 93,450 Indians immigrated to the US, a number that increased to 127,010 in 2022. This surge surpasses the total number of immigrants from South America, Africa, or Europe. The US Department of Homeland Security data reveals that 78,070 Indians moved to the US in 2023, ensuring India’s ineligibility for the green card lottery until 2028.
For the 2025 visa lottery, nearly 20 million individuals applied, with over 131,000 individuals (including spouses) selected. However, even after winning the lottery, applicants must undergo thorough vetting before admission into the US.
Lesser immigration routes for Indians
With the closure of the Diversity Visa Program for Indians, alternative immigration pathways to the US have become increasingly limited. Indian nationals seeking permanent residency now rely on options like converting H-1B visas to green cards, investment-based migration, asylum applications, or family sponsorship. However, under President Trump’s stricter immigration policies, these avenues are diminishing, leaving both prospective migrants and employers facing uncertainty about the future.
In a significant move, US President Donald Trump has announced the suspension of the Diversity Visa Program, also known as the green card lottery system, which enabled the suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings to enter the country. This decision marks a notable shift in immigration policy.
US President Donald Trump’s recent suspension of the Diversity Visa Program has stirred intense debate, particularly after it was revealed that the suspect involved in the Brown University and MIT shootings entered the country through this program.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm the move, stating that, following Trump’s direction, she had ordered the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pause the program to ensure that no more harm would come to Americans from this "disastrous" program. "This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country," she said in her post.
The Diversity Visa Program has long provided 50,000 green cards annually through a lottery system, aimed at individuals from countries with low immigration rates to the US, many of whom hail from Africa. Countries like India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines, which have high immigration numbers to the US, are typically disqualified from the lottery.
In 2021, 93,450 Indians immigrated to the US, a number that increased to 127,010 in 2022. This surge surpasses the total number of immigrants from South America, Africa, or Europe. The US Department of Homeland Security data reveals that 78,070 Indians moved to the US in 2023, ensuring India’s ineligibility for the green card lottery until 2028.
For the 2025 visa lottery, nearly 20 million individuals applied, with over 131,000 individuals (including spouses) selected. However, even after winning the lottery, applicants must undergo thorough vetting before admission into the US.
Lesser immigration routes for Indians
With the closure of the Diversity Visa Program for Indians, alternative immigration pathways to the US have become increasingly limited. Indian nationals seeking permanent residency now rely on options like converting H-1B visas to green cards, investment-based migration, asylum applications, or family sponsorship. However, under President Trump’s stricter immigration policies, these avenues are diminishing, leaving both prospective migrants and employers facing uncertainty about the future.