Pointless Diversity Visa Overdue for Cancellation

Every year, the State Department issues millions of visas under dozens of categories for purposes as varied as working in agriculture, having a special talent, enrolling in foreign exchange programs, and even getting married. In 2013, nonimmigrant (I-94) admissions totaled more than 61 million, a record.

All the visas are overdue to be reviewed for usefulness, of which there is little, and with an eye toward reducing the numbers handed out. Not all visa recipients return home. Some apply for adjustment of their immigration status that will put them on a path to permanent residence. Others simply overstay, and remain in the U.S. as unlawful aliens. Many of the visas have a documented history of abuse and fraud, but none more so than the Diversity Visa (DV).

Tens of millions of eager foreign nationals apply online from countries that send few immigrants to the U.S. with the hope of receiving one of the 50,000 DVs. The recipients have no special talents or skills, just the good luck to have literally won the lottery. Sometimes their good fortune is bad luck for Americans as happened when DV winner Hesham Mohamed Hedayet killed two and wounded four others at the Los Angeles International Airport.

The DV increases population, adds to the labor pool and heightens terrorism risks. The Security Fairness and Enhancement (SAFE) ACT, HR 2278, introduced by U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) would end the DV.

Please go to the CAPS Action Alert page here to urge your representatives to support HR 2278 and to end the DV.