- A federal judge will hear arguments on August 27 to decide if Diversity Visa processing must resume immediately.
- Over 1,400 plaintiffs in Medani versus Trump claim the government is trying to run out the clock.
- Diversity Visa applicants must receive their status by the September 30, 2026, federal deadline or lose eligibility.
A federal judge will hear arguments August 27 over whether the Trump administration must restart Diversity Visa processing before thousands of fiscal-year applicants lose their eligibility at the end of September.
The case, Medani v. Trump, covers 664 families and 1,489 plaintiffs. They are asking Judge Edward J. Davila of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to issue a preliminary injunction requiring the government to resume processing immediately.
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The hearing comes 34 days before September 30, the federal deadline for issuing diversity visas for fiscal year 2026. Visas not issued by midnight that day cannot be issued later.
The applicants face a fixed deadline. The State Department said August 17 that selectees who do not receive visas or adjustment of status by September 30, 2026, “will derive no further benefit from their DV-2026 registration.”
The lawsuit challenges a Diversity Visa suspension that has stopped both consular visa issuance and domestic adjustment processing for fiscal year 2026. The plaintiffs argue that a court order is needed before the remaining processing window closes.
Three government measures stopped the program at different stages
The case targets three measures that affect applicants inside and outside the United States.
The first came from USCIS on December 19, 2025. Policy Memorandum PM-602-0193 instructed agency personnel to place an indefinite hold on pending diversity-based adjustment applications. The memo cited a need to “fully assess all national, criminal, and related grounds of inadmissibility” after security concerns.
That hold affects applicants seeking adjustment through Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Applicants already in the United States have also seen related work and travel authorizations frozen alongside their adjustment applications.
The second measure followed four days later. On December 23, 2025, the Department of State paused diversity visa issuance worldwide, with “no exceptions.” The department said the review would examine screening and vetting procedures.
“This pause will allow the Department to undertake a review of the screening and vetting protocols. to ensure [applicants] do not present a threat to national security or public safety.”
The third barrier began February 2, 2026, through a “75-Country Freeze.” That policy applies to countries the administration identifies as presenting a high risk of public-benefit reliance. The plaintiffs describe the three actions collectively as the “Defendants’ Barriers.”
The applicants say the deadline makes delay decisive
The legal dispute is unfolding against the statutory limit in INA § 204. The law requires all diversity visas for a fiscal year to be issued by midnight on September 30.
That deadline leaves little room for a later remedy. If processing does not restart soon, applicants who have completed interviews or background checks may still be unable to receive visas or adjustment of status in time.
The plaintiffs say the administration has indicated that it intends to “run out the clock” on the program. Their requested preliminary injunction would require the government to act while DV-2026 eligibility remains open.
The case includes applicants at different points in the immigration process. Some selected applicants have already completed background checks and interviews. Others live in the United States and are waiting for action on adjustment applications and related employment or travel documents.
Officials cite screening, safety and public-benefit concerns
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the pause after a security incident. She said the measure was intended to “ensure no more Americans are harmed by this program.” DHS officials also described the suspension as a response to longstanding criticism that the diversity visa system lacks merit-based selection and adequate safety safeguards.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio later addressed a related freeze affecting immigrant visa applicants from 75 countries. On January 14, 2026, he said:
“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people.”
The State Department’s December directive focused on reviewing screening and vetting. The DHS position also raised concerns about selection standards and public safety. Those positions form part of the government’s defense of the measures challenged in the case.
A separate lawsuit will address the 75-country policy
The August 27 hearing does not stand alone. A related case, Syed v. Trump, challenges the 75-country freeze specifically and is scheduled for a September 21, 2026, hearing.
The two cases involve overlapping policy measures but different litigation tracks. Medani asks the court to address the combined barriers affecting DV-2026 processing, while Syed focuses on the country-based freeze.
The immediate question in Medani is whether the government must resume processing before the fiscal-year cutoff. Applicants who miss that date face the loss of any further benefit from their DV-2026 registration.
The Northern District of California has scheduled the arguments for August 27, 2026. The September 30 deadline follows 34 days later.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
