Judge presses feds on delay in processing diversity visa applications

A federal judge in San Jose pressed the government Thursday on why it took nearly two weeks to restart diversity visa processing after he ordered it, during which the State Department cancelled all September interviews. Attorneys for applicants said clients were turned away from interviews in Paris and Kigali the same morning, and accused the department of sending cables instructing consuls on how to deflect plaintiffs.

A Justice Department attorney said the cancellations were tied to a training initiative unrelated to the court order, and that a new cable went out Thursday morning prioritizing the cancelled interviewees. Judge Edward Davila was skeptical, noting the fiscal year ends in September and calling the restart something that ‘seems like a binary… switch up and down.’

The dispute traces back to December 2025 policies placing indefinite holds on green card and diversity visa applications, plus a February notice pausing visa approvals from 75 countries pending new guidance. Davila ordered both sides to attend status hearings three times a week through the end of September to track compliance.

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