Hours Before New U.S. State Department Drawing, Diversity Lottery Victims Dealt Tearful Blow

by Danny Rangel · 2011-07-14 22:25:00 UTC
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The wounds from 22,000 dashed hopes and dreams remain as painful and as gut-wrenching as they were from the outset. Yet the U.S. State Department is charging forward and conducting a new diversity lottery, with results of that drawing to be announced today. The new lottery comes on the heels of a class-action lawsuit filed against the government in federal court. Check out a great story about the diversity lottery's victims and their efforts to combat the State Department's cruel decision.

It really is shocking the way the U.S. State Department does not seem to care about this injustice. Victims of the diversity lottery told their compelling stories, and yet they have received no meaningful response to their grievances. They have spoken out on Facebook and through blogs. Change.org's petition and other petition efforts have spread the word. Still, the State Department persists, ignoring everyone and everything, and refusing to take responsibility for a glaring mistake that has wreaked havoc on so many lives.

This story, from a member of one of the 22,000 lottery victims posting on Facebook, continues on a now unfortunately familiar theme: "On May 1st, I was one of the selectees. I’ve never felt so happy." wrote S.B. from Algiers. "It was the best feelings I [ever] had in my life, I was feeling as living a real dream, I was almost flying …but on May 13th, my dream turned upside down. I’ve never felt so disappointment in all my life, I tried to accept this situation, but these feelings are growing every day. I’m living in my worst nightmare."

And that's just one story.

This week, the courts held a hearing in Washington as part of the diversity lottery victim's lawsuit. Nothing had been decided until late Thursday afternoon, when those 22,000 people waiting for the decision had their hopes of living in the U.S. shelved indefinitely.

News reports are calling this ruling the final word, but for thousands of people who had already heard the worst news of their lives, many are left wondering if somehow this pain and suffering will be vindicated. If you haven't already, tell the U.S. State Department to Give the First 22,000 Diversity Lottery Winners Their Green Cards, Then Fix Your Computer Error.

Maybe -- just maybe -- there will be justice yet?

Photo credit: megyarsh

Video credit: TheDvlottery

Danny Rangel is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who has worked for the International Rescue Committee and MEND.
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