US Diversity Visa Program: What’s the future of the Green Card lottery under Trump?

As President Donald Trump embarks on his second term after his re-election in November 2024, the future of the US Diversity Visa Program, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, hangs in the balance.

Trump, a long-time critic of the program and diversity initiatives in general, has voiced strong opposition to the Diversity Visa Program.

What is Diversity Visa (DV) Program/ Green Card Lottery?

The Diversity Visa (DV) Program grants 55,000 visas each year to applicants from countries with historically low immigration rates to the US, including Germany.

While the chances of being chosen are slim, the program is seen as a more accessible option for potential immigrants, requiring only a high school diploma or equivalent or two years of work experience within the last five years.

Trump's stance on the Diversity Visa Program has been clear. He has labeled it the “Democrat Lottery” and tied it to concerns over terrorism. He has called for a shift toward a merit-based immigration system and even sought to terminate the program.

Though there were no major legislative changes during his first term, the Trump administration did introduce some restrictions, such as passport requirements, which disproportionately affected low-income applicants.

Looking ahead to his second term, it remains to be seen whether Trump will intensify his efforts to eliminate the Diversity Visa Program.

He has expressed his desire for a merit-based immigration system, but has yet to provide details on how such a system would operate. Creating such a system would require comprehensive legislation from Congress, which would fundamentally overhaul the US immigration system.

Should Trump succeed in eliminating the Diversity Visa Program, it would close off a significant immigration route for many individuals from countries.

Although the program’s future is uncertain, there are likely to be additional restrictions or alterations to its structure, meaning potential applicants must be prepared for a potentially tougher immigration process.

For those relying on the Green Card Lottery, seeking legal counsel to navigate the complex and evolving immigration landscape will be essential as the policy landscape changes and becomes more restrictive.

This was not the first time Trump had voiced his opposition to the Diversity Visa Lottery.

In August 2017, he threw his support behind the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment (RAISE) Act, which sought to abolish the program.

The RAISE Act proposed drastic reductions to legal immigration and introduced a merit-based system for awarding green cards, a proposal that faced opposition from various factions within Congress.

Despite Trump’s calls for an end to the program, the likelihood of Congress passing legislation to eliminate the lottery remains uncertain.

The Diversity Visa Lottery has survived several attempts to repeal it in the past.

Additionally, any legislation to abolish the program would not impact the 2019 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, as the registration period for that year’s lottery was already open.