State Department Revives Diversity Visa Passport Regulations

The State Department is renewing efforts from President Donald Trump’s first term to add barriers to a green card lottery for immigrants from underrepresented countries.

Proposed regulations published Tuesday would require applicants to have a valid passport when they enter the diversity visa lottery. The program makes 50,000 green cards available each year to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the US.

A federal court struck down a previous version of the rule, finding the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act in issuing the requirement. The passport rule was followed by a dramatic drop in registrations. Critics ...