Court Says USCIS Must Change How It Handles Diversity Visa Cases
A court has told the government to stop using a special rule for some Diversity Visa applications, making it easier for people to get their green cards.
Affects: Green Card · Source: USCIS
What happened
On August 28, 2026, a court in California made an important decision. This court order temporarily stopped a special rule that USCIS was using. This rule was called Policy Memorandum PM-602-0193.
The court told USCIS to go back to its normal way of handling certain green card applications. Specifically, USCIS must now process applications for the Diversity Visa Program without using that special rule. USCIS said it does not agree with the court's decision, but it will follow the order for now.
The bigger picture
Before this court order, USCIS had a special policy in place. This policy, known as PM-602-0193, put a "hold" on some applications for green cards through the Diversity Visa Program. This meant these specific cases were handled differently than usual.
The government created this policy to make sure that people applying for green cards through the Diversity Visa Program were not a risk to the country's safety. They wanted to check these applicants very carefully.
What this means for you
Green card applicants
If you applied for a green card through the FY-2026 Diversity Visa Program and your case was affected by the special 'hold' rule, USCIS should now process your application normally. This means your case might move forward without that extra step that was causing delays or different handling. The court wants USCIS to do this as much as possible.
All immigrants
This court order only affects a specific group of people applying for green cards through the Diversity Visa Program. It does not change anything for other types of immigrants, like those applying for family-based green cards or work visas. There is no direct change for you if you are not in the affected group.
Employers
No direct change for you. This court order is about a specific type of green card application called the Diversity Visa. It does not affect how employers sponsor workers for visas or green cards.
Asylum seekers
No direct change for you. This court order is about a specific type of green card application, the Diversity Visa, and does not affect asylum cases.
What you should do
- Nothing right now — just good to know. USCIS is now supposed to process certain Diversity Visa applications differently because of this court order.
Key dates
- 2026-08-28: Court issued its order
- 2026-09-04: USCIS announcement release date
Words explained
- Diversity Visa Program
- This is a special program that gives green cards to people from countries that don't send many immigrants to the U.S. Each year, people can enter a lottery to win a chance to apply for one of these green cards.
- USCIS
- This is the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It's the government agency that handles many immigration benefits, like green cards, work permits, and citizenship applications.
- Adjustment of Status
- This is a way for someone who is already in the U.S. to apply for a green card without having to leave the country. They ask USCIS to change their immigration status from temporary to permanent.
- Court Order
- This is a legal command or decision made by a judge or a court. It tells a person or an organization, like USCIS, what they must do or stop doing.
- Policy Memorandum
- This is a written instruction or guidance issued by a government agency. It helps staff understand how to apply certain rules or laws in their daily work.
Common questions
What is the Diversity Visa Program?
The Diversity Visa Program is a special way for people from countries with low immigration rates to get a green card. Every year, a certain number of visas are given out through a lottery system. It's often called the 'Green Card Lottery'.
Will my Diversity Visa application be approved faster now?
The court order tells USCIS to process applications without the special 'hold' rule. This might help your case move forward more smoothly, as the extra step is removed. However, the announcement does not say exactly how fast applications will be processed now.
Does this affect all green card applications?
No, this court order is very specific. It only affects people who applied for a green card through the FY-2026 Diversity Visa Program and were subject to the specific 'hold' policy (PM-602-0193). It does not change rules for other types of green cards.
What if I was denied because of this policy?
The announcement from USCIS focuses on resuming 'ordinary adjudication' for pending applications. It does not specifically say what happens to applications that were already denied under this policy. The announcement does not give information about past denials.
This is a plain-English explanation, not legal advice. Confirm with the official source or a licensed immigration attorney.