The Trump administration has filed an appeal against a federal judge's directive mandating that the State Department reinstate the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery and has concurrently requested that the judge suspend the directive pending the appellate review, as per Newsweek.
U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta of the Southern District of California issued a preliminary injunction in response to litigation initiated by immigration law firm Red Eagle Law, L.C., instructing the department to restore the Diversity Visa Program commencing with its lottery registration phase.
The initiative, frequently referred to as the green card lottery, allocates approximately 55,000 diversity visas annually to people from other nations that have experienced historically limited immigration rates to the United States.
On October 19, the government submitted its notice of appeal, contesting Judge Ohta's preliminary injunction and associated orders. Additionally, the government filed a separate motion requesting that Judge Ohta suspend her injunction pending the resolution of the appeal.
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DV-2027 entry process witnesses changes
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Trump revokes over 300,000 visas: Here's what Indian nationals travelling to the US must know
DV-2027 entry process witnesses changes
{{/usCountry}}The department disclosed in November 2025 its intention to implement modifications to the DV-2027 entry procedure and said that the registration commencement date would be communicated at the earliest feasible opportunity.
However, the registration window remained unopened following the commencement of fiscal year 2027 on October 1, as documented in the court's decision. The judge determined that this circumstance constituted an effective termination of the program, as prospective applicants are unable to participate in the diversity visa lottery without prior enrollment in the registration system.
“The State Department also offered no reason as to why the temporary postponement announced in November 2025 turned into an indefinite suspension extending into the start of fiscal year 2027,” Ohta wrote.
The rationale behind the judge's injunction decision
Ohta determined that Red Eagle Law satisfied the prerequisites for obtaining a preliminary injunction. She concluded that the law firm demonstrated a substantial likelihood of prevailing in its litigation, as the State Department failed to provide sufficient justification for converting an initial postponement of the 2027 lottery into an indefinite cessation of operations.
The judge also mentioned that Red Eagle Law would experience a loss of clientele and financial revenue should the program continue to remain in a state of suspension, and that such losses would be irretrievable through litigation proceedings. The judge further noted that the reinstatement of the program would not impose an undue hardship upon the government and would advance the public interest by ensuring the State Department's adherence to applicable federal legislation.