Why Trump's US Green Card Lottery Ban Will Not Hurt Indians

For Indian nationals, the suspension is expected to have little direct effect, given that they have been ineligible for the diversity visa for years.

19 Dec 2025, 16:28 · NDTV

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US President Donald Trump has suspended the US diversity visa programme after deadly shootings
The alleged shooter entered the US via the diversity visa lottery system
The programme grants 50,000 green cards annually to under-represented countries

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In the wake of deadly shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that killed three people and injured several others, US President Donald Trump has moved to halt the diversity visa programme, also known as the green card lottery.

The decision came after it was revealed that the alleged attacker, Claudio Neves Valente, a citizen of Portugal, had entered the US under the diversity visa scheme, prompting swift intervention from the White House.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she had instructed US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediately suspend the programme, calling it a "disastrous" channel.

READ | Trump Suspends Green Card Lottery After Brown University, MIT Shootings

"This heinous individual should never have been allowed into our country," Noem wrote on X, noting that the freeze on the programme was carried out on the president's orders.

What Is The Green Card Lottery?

The green card lottery programme offers up to 50,000 permanent residency permits each year through a random draw. It is designed for applicants from countries that have historically sent fewer migrants to the US, particularly from parts of Africa and Europe.

To maintain diversity, the programme bars nationals of countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the previous five fiscal years. This rule excludes countries such as India, China, Mexico and the Philippines.

India, in particular, has remained far above the eligibility limit. US Department of Homeland Security data shows that 93,450 Indians moved to the US in 2021, a figure that climbed to 127,010 in 2022. Although immigration from India dropped to 78,070 in 2023, it remains high enough to keep the country out of the lottery system until at least 2028.

Nearly 2 crore people applied for the 2025 lottery, with more than 1.31 lakh applicants, family members included, eventually selected. Selected applicants are subjected to detailed background checks before being granted entry.

Why Indians Will Not Be Impacted

For Indian nationals, the suspension is expected to have little direct effect, given that they have been ineligible for the diversity visa for years.

Instead, Indians seeking US permanent residency typically pursue other routes, including employer-sponsored visas, family-based sponsorships, investment pathways or asylum. Many of these channels, however, are also coming under tighter review.

READ | Why Indians Won't Be Eligible For US Green Card Lottery This Year

As the Trump administration continues to clamp down across multiple immigration categories, uncertainty has increased for Indian professionals as well as American companies that rely on overseas talent.

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