Demand for the green card lottery remains high

The number of winners in the green card lottery for fiscal year 2026 has not decreased, despite the tightening of immigration policies under President Trump's administration. In the lottery, opened before the start of Trump's second term, nearly 21 million applications were submitted, with 129,516 people, including family members, selected as winners. In the previous period, before the president's second term, 131,060 candidates were selected from approximately 20 million applications. The data highlights sustained interest in participating in the lottery, despite changes in immigration policy.

Context

The green card lottery is conducted annually by the U.S. government, allowing citizens from countries with low immigration levels to obtain the right to permanent residence in the United States.