Keith Self Moves to End Green Card Lottery After Judge Orders Trump to Revive It

Representative Keith Self (R-TX) introduced a new bill to end what some know as the Green Card Lottery, arguing it is a failed immigration policy that undermines border security.

The Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery program, offers permanent residence to up to 55,000 applicants annually from countries with historically lower levels of immigration to the United States. In December 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration suspended the program after a Portuguese national who received a visa through the lottery was suspected of killing four people in two separate shootings in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

On Oct. 14, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta, appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled that the U.S. State Department must reopen registration for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery and accept applications for a 30-day period.

“The announcement shall identify the opening and closing dates of the registration period, the website through which individuals may submit electronic entries, and the requirements for participating in the program,” Ohta wrote. “Defendant shall further disseminate this information through the State Department’s other customary public notification channels, including the Federal Register.”

The program stems from the Immigration Act of 1990, which established the modern diversity visa program to expand immigration opportunities for people from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.

Rep. Self’s bill would repeal the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery, eliminating the program that currently provides up to 55,000 permanent-residency opportunities annually.

“The American people elected Donald Trump and this Republican Congress to put America first,” Rep. Self said. “That means securing our borders and ending failed immigration policies.”

The Texas congressman, who has remained a strong supporter of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and border security efforts, said the courts should not be dictating federal immigration policy.

“We cannot allow activist judges to dictate our immigration policy,” Rep. Self said.

Rep. Self added, “We cannot allow liberal judges to force the administration to continue a failed immigration program.”