admin
Representative Keith Self has introduced a bill to repeal the State Department’s Diversity Immigrant Visa program — better known as the green card lottery. He says the move is a direct reaction to a federal judge ordering the program reopened. The program normally makes roughly 50,000 to 55,000 green cards available each year to people from countries with low recent immigration to the United States.
Self’s move: a response to a judge and a worried public
Self’s bill follows a preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta in the case Red Eagle Law LC v. Rubio, which told the State Department to reopen registration for fiscal year 2027. In his press release, Representative Self warned that “we cannot allow activist judges to dictate our immigration policy.” He tied the urgency to safety concerns after a suspect who entered the country through the DV program was linked to shootings that shook college campuses — a fact that prompted the administration to pause the program in December 2025.
The legal and administrative backdrop
The Diversity Visa program exists because Congress created it in statute, and it normally issues about 50,000–55,000 visas a year. That means only Congress can truly end it — which is why Self has to bring a repeal bill. The court fight, captioned Red Eagle Law LC v. Rubio, named Secretary of State Marco Rubio and produced Judge Ohta’s order to reopen the FY2027 registration window. Meanwhile, the State Department has adjusted rules and guidance several times, including a passport requirement added during agency reviews.
What repeal would actually change
Repealing the DV lottery would eliminate one avenue for legal permanent residency and shift the debate into Congress and the White House. Some House bills and broader immigration packages already aim to scrap the program and move to a skills- or merit-based system. Supporters of repeal say removing a random lottery for green cards will strengthen national security and make immigration policy more sensible. Critics call the program a pathway for lawful diversity and opportunity. The fight now is simple: who decides immigration policy — voters and their elected lawmakers, or federal judges issuing court orders?
Bottom line: common sense and control
If Americans want secure borders and sensible immigration rules, Congress should act and end policies that tie the hands of enforcement. Representative Self’s bill is blunt and political — that’s the point. It forces a clear choice: restore legislative control over the DV program or accept that judges, not voters, set national immigration priorities. For conservatives who value order and safety, backing repeal is the straightforward answer.
