Judge Orders Trump Admin to Reopen DV-2027 Lottery by Midnight

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the U.S. State Department under President Donald Trump to reopen registration for the fiscal year 2027 Diversity Visa lottery, effectively blocking an administrative suspension of a program authorized by Congress that allocates up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually.

U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta granted a preliminary injunction sought by Red Eagle Law, a California immigration firm, after the department failed to announce a registration period for DV-2027 as required by federal regulations. The judge ruled that the administration's inaction was arbitrary and capricious, noting without an entry period no applicants could be selected.

Under Ohta's ruling, Secretary of State Marco Rubio must publicly announce the registration window no later than midnight Eastern time on October 15. Registration is to open by November 1 and remain active for at least thirty days or until September 30, 2027, whichever comes first. The State Department must process entries using standard procedures until all visa slots are filled.

The program was suspended following a December shooting at Brown University where officials stated the suspect had entered under this lottery system; then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cited these events as justification for pausing applications.

Red Eagle Law argued that the suspension violated federal law and aligned with applicant interests protected by the Immigration and Nationality Act. The firm contends its client's standing allows them to challenge agency inaction under the Administrative Procedure Act, a claim Ohta found likely to succeed.