On 4 September 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published an alert on Medani, et al. v. Trump, et al., case 26-cv-6332. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated Policy Memorandum PM-602-0193 on 28 August 2026. USCIS must resume ordinary adjudication of pending FY 2026 Diversity Visa adjustment applications for the certified subclass, as far as practicable and in good faith, before the fiscal year ends.
If you hold a FY 2026 Diversity Visa selection and filed Form I-485 inside the United States, the hold no longer blocks final action on your file under the vacated memo. Approval is not automatic. You still need to meet every eligibility rule, answer agency requests, and finish processing before 30 September 2026.
What PM-602-0193 blocked
DHS and USCIS issued PM-602-0193 on 19 December 2025 under the title Hold and Review of Pending USCIS adjustment of status Applications Filed by Aliens Under the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. The memo put a hold on pending adjustment of status filings, related ancillary benefits, and associated waiver applications for FY 2026 Diversity Visa selectees and derivative beneficiaries.
Final decisions on Form I-485 stopped while the hold stood. Many selectees waited for months with no movement after lottery selection and a complete adjustment package. A Rhode Island federal court also vacated the hold in related litigation in June 2026. The California order on 28 August 2026 reaches a certified subclass nationwide for USCIS purposes.
USCIS states the memo aimed to screen for national security and public safety risks. The agency disagrees with the court order and will follow the terms while further judicial review continues.
Who the California order covers
The court certified a subclass of all selectees and derivative beneficiaries under the FY 2026 Diversity Visa Program subject to the USCIS DV Hold in PM-602-0193. In practice, the group centers on people already in the United States with pending Form I-485 filings based on the Diversity Visa.
Derivative family members on the same selection also fall inside the subclass when the hold applied to their filings. Consular Diversity Visa interviews abroad sit outside the USCIS memo. Separate State Department pauses and training delays continue to control overseas immigrant visa appointments.
MigrantIQ already covered the worldwide immigrant visa interview pause for public-charge training. This update focuses on domestic USCIS adjustment cases under the Diversity Visa for FY 2026.
Why the 30 September 2026 deadline matters
Diversity Visa benefits for a fiscal year expire when the fiscal year ends. For FY 2026, the statutory cutoff is 30 September 2026. A court order restarts review. The order does not extend the fiscal year.
Fewer than four weeks remain between the USCIS alert and the cutoff. Files paused since December 2025 now reenter a busy queue. Field office capacity and residual screening still decide how far each case moves before the deadline.
If your case remains pending without a final decision after 30 September 2026, FY 2026 Diversity Visa eligibility ends for the year. Treat every day as limited time. Keep your mailing address, phone number, and online account current so notices reach you without delay.
Actions to take now
- Open your USCIS online account and confirm Form I-485 receipt numbers, biometrics history, and any pending Request for Evidence.
- Update your address and contact details in the account and on Form AR-11 when your residence changes.
- Assemble fresh supporting evidence for identity, selection, medical exam results, civil documents, and financial support where the form package requires updates.
- Respond to every USCIS notice inside the stated period and keep copies of submissions and delivery proofs.
- Ask your attorney or accredited representative for a status check if one already represents you on the I-485.
- Do not abandon a complete pending file. The court order restores ordinary adjudication for covered cases.
USCIS has not published a public clearance schedule for the restarted Diversity Visa adjustment inventory. Pace will vary by office and by case readiness. Watch official notices rather than social media rumors about mass approvals.
What the order does not change
Eligibility rules for Diversity Visa adjustment remain in force. You must still show a valid selection, admissible status under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and a complete application. Medical, security, and background checks continue.
The order does not approve Form I-485 on sight. The order does not reopen closed denials. The order does not create a new lottery. The order does not move consular Diversity Visa cases into USCIS jurisdiction.
People still outside the United States who need an immigrant visa stamp follow Department of State scheduling. The State Department pause of immigrant visa interviews for public-charge training, reported around 25 August 2026, remains a separate track from the USCIS memo.
How to separate the two U.S. tracks in September 2026
Use a simple split when you plan:
- Inside the United States with a pending DV-based Form I-485: follow the Medani order and the 4 September 2026 USCIS alert.
- Outside the United States waiting for a Diversity Visa or other immigrant visa interview: follow embassy or consulate messages and CEAC account notices.
Mixing the two tracks causes false expectations. A domestic adjustment restart does not restore cancelled overseas appointments. A consular reschedule does not speed a USCIS field office decision.
Practical checklist before 30 September
Print or save your selection letter, DS-260 or I-485 filing proof, medical sealed results if still valid, passport biographic pages, and any prior USCIS notices. Confirm your civil documents carry certified translations where required. If a medical exam nears expiry, ask your civil surgeon about timing before a new interview notice arrives.
Employers, landlords, and schools sometimes request proof of pending permanent residence. A receipt notice and a court-related news printout are not a green card. Wait for Form I-551 or an approval notice before you change long-term plans tied to permanent resident status.
Scam alerts rise whenever a court order hits the news. USCIS will not demand payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or urgent wire. Confirm every message against your online account or a letter on USCIS letterhead. Report suspicious outreach through official fraud channels.
For the primary text of the agency position, read the USCIS newsroom alert titled Court Order on Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Hold Policy, release date 4 September 2026. For the court caption, use Medani, et al. v. Trump, et al., 26-cv-6332, Northern District of California, order dated 28 August 2026.
Act on your own file now. The vacated hold restores review for covered FY 2026 Diversity Visa adjustment cases. The fiscal year clock still stops on 30 September 2026.
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