Red Eagle Law: Seeks 2027 Green Card Lottery Injunction

• The 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery registration, historically set for early October, remains unannounced nearly a year after the State Department indicated a later start.
• Red Eagle Law has filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seeking to compel the Trump administration to open the registration process before September 30.
• U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta denied a temporary restraining order but will consider a preliminary injunction on September 24, which could decide the fate of the 2027 lottery.
• The Trump administration paused the program following deadly shootings in late 2025, a move critics like former Congressman Bruce Morrison call a 'de facto cancellation'.
• The Diversity Visa Lottery annually provides up to 55,000 permanent residency visas to eligible noncitizen applicants.

The upcoming decision by U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta on a preliminary injunction will directly determine whether the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery proceeds, shaping the immigration prospects for thousands of hopeful applicants.

Prospective applicants for the Green Card Lottery are currently in limbo, awaiting a federal court ruling that will dictate whether the Trump administration must initiate the registration period for the 2027 lottery. Although the State Department indicated last year that the start date for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery would be announced at a later time, nearly a full year has passed without any further communication or a definitive opening date.

This delay has plunged the program, which typically provides up to 55,000 diversity visas annually to noncitizen applicants, into uncharted territory. Historically, the registration window for new applicants opens during the first week of October. The Diversity Visa Lottery, commonly known as the Green Card Lottery, is designed to randomly select individuals from eligible countries to apply for permanent residency in the United States, a process that can extend beyond a year.

In response to the prolonged delay, Red Eagle Law, a firm specializing in immigration matters, has taken legal action. The firm's owner, Curtis Morrison (unrelated to former Congressman Bruce Morrison), accused the administration of misleading his firm into believing the program would proceed as scheduled until the last possible moment. He asserts that the failure to open the registration period for fiscal year 2027 has adversely impacted both his clients and his business operations.

Last month, Red Eagle Law filed a `Diversity Visa Lottery 2027 registration lawsuit` in federal court against Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The lawsuit seeks a court order compelling the Trump administration to open the registration process before the current fiscal year concludes on September 30. While U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta, a Joe Biden appointee, denied Red Eagle Law's initial request for a temporary restraining order, she has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, September 24, to consider a `Red Eagle Law 2027 Green Card Lottery injunction`. The outcome of this hearing, and specifically `Judge Jinsook Ohta Green Card Lottery` decision, will be pivotal in determining the future of the 2027 lottery.

The current `Trump administration Green Card Lottery pause` was implemented following deadly shootings at Brown University and MIT in late 2025. Proponents of the program, including former Connecticut Congressman Bruce Morrison, a key architect of the 1990 Immigration Act that established the lottery, have characterized the administration's action as a de facto cancellation. Morrison strongly criticized the move, stating it demonstrates contempt for the constitutional process and is not a mistake, but rather an act of "thumbing your nose at the law."

Conservatives have long been critical of the Diversity Visa Lottery program. This is not the first time the program has faced direct challenges from the Trump administration; in 2020, President Donald Trump issued a ban on diversity visa recipients entering the country, though that ban was subsequently overturned by a federal judge in the District of Columbia later the same year. The ongoing uncertainty has left many potential applicants, such as Kacper Trela, a Polish-born individual residing in Scotland, feeling disappointed and upset. Trela, who travels to the U.S. for work, emphasized that the program has "very strict" criteria and is not a "free-for-all," believing the administration overlooks the positive contributions immigrants seek to make.

The upcoming decision by U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta on a preliminary injunction will directly determine whether the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery proceeds, shaping the immigration prospects for thousands of hopeful applicants. This `US immigration visa lottery injunction` hearing is a critical juncture for those seeking permanent residency through the program. The current pause has created significant anxiety and uncertainty for individuals who rely on this pathway to the United States, highlighting the broader impact of administrative actions on individual lives and immigration processes.

Immigration lawyers and compliance officers must closely monitor the outcome of Judge Ohta's preliminary injunction hearing, as her decision will directly determine if and when the registration period for the 2027 Diversity Visa Lottery will open. This is crucial for advising clients on potential application timelines and eligibility.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News