Why India remains unaffected as Trump suspends US Green Card lottery? Find out here

The move came after authorities revealed that the alleged shooter, Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national, had entered the United States through the diversity visa scheme. Acting on the president’s directive, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem instructed US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediately halt the programme, describing it as a “disastrous” pathway.

“This heinous individual should never have been allowed into our country,” Noem said in a post on X, confirming that the suspension was carried out on Trump’s orders.

The diversity visa programme issues up to 50,000 permanent residency permits annually through a random lottery and is aimed at encouraging immigration from countries with historically low migration to the US, particularly in parts of Africa and Europe.

To maintain this balance, nationals of countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US over the past five fiscal years are excluded.

As a result, countries such as India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines are not eligible.

India has remained above the eligibility threshold for years. US Department of Homeland Security data shows that 93,450 Indians migrated to the US in 2021, rising to 127,010 in 2022, before declining to 78,070 in 202, still enough to keep India out of the lottery system until at least 2028.

Nearly 20 million people applied for the 2025 green card lottery, with over 1.31 lakh applicants, including family members, eventually selected.

Those chosen undergo extensive background checks before being granted entry.

Why will Indians not be affected?

For Indian nationals, the suspension is expected to have minimal direct impact, as they have long been ineligible for the programme.

Most Indians seeking US permanent residency rely on other routes such as employer-sponsored visas, family sponsorships, investment options, or asylum, many of which are now under increased scrutiny.

As the Trump administration tightens immigration policies across multiple categories, uncertainty continues to grow for Indian professionals and US companies that depend on foreign talent.