Friday, December 19,
2025 - The American dream for thousands of Kenyan families has been
abruptly thrown into uncertainty after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the
immediate suspension of the Diversity Visa (DV) program, popularly known as the
Green Card lottery.
The announcement, made in Washington D.C., halts the DV‑2025
process and leaves the fate of 4,459 Kenyan selectees hanging in the balance.
Kenya ranked sixth globally in the number of successful
applicants for the DV‑2025 program.
For these individuals and their families, who have already
invested emotionally and financially in the rigorous application process, the
suspension transforms a moment of hope into one of profound anxiety.
The Trump administration linked the suspension to a recent
deadly shooting at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT).
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, stated that
the suspected gunman, a Portuguese national, had entered the United States in
2017 through the diversity program.
“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing
USCIS to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this
disastrous program,” she said.
This reasoning echoes President Trump’s long‑standing
criticism of the DV program.
He has consistently advocated for a merit‑based immigration
system and previously sought to end the lottery after a 2017 terrorist attack
in New York was also tied to a DV recipient.
For Kenyan selectees, the suspension is a devastating blow.
Applicants pay a non‑refundable interview fee of $330
(approximately KES 42,619), a significant sum for many households.
The Diversity Visa program has long been a vital channel for
legal immigration to the U.S, offering permanent residency without requiring
family or employer sponsorship.
Each year, up to 55,000 green cards are made available to
individuals from countries with historically low immigration rates to the
United States.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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