US Rep. Keith Self introduces bill to repeal Diversity Visa Lottery

Texas Republican Representative Keith Self has introduced legislation to repeal Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which would effectively end the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Lottery. Self characterized the program as being “riddled with fraud and weak identity checks” and argued that the administration should not be compelled by court orders to maintain the lottery.

The proposed bill seeks to remove all references to the diversity category from laws governing numerical limits and allocation procedures. It does not provide a replacement or transition plan for current applicants. The move follows a period of legal conflict after the Trump administration suspended the program in December 2025, a decision that was subsequently challenged by a U.S. District Court.

The potential repeal impacts thousands of applicants, including nearly 4,000 Kenyan nationals registered for the DV-2026 cycle. Uncertainty remains for the DV-2027 cohort as the registration window remains closed while the administration appeals court orders regarding the program.