A liberal-majority appeals court in California handed the Trump administration a victory by blocking a lower court's ruling that ordered the State Department to open its application pool for the 2027 Diversity Visa lottery, which admits roughly 55,000 immigrants from low-immigration countries each year.

In a 2-1 ruling, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta requiring the lottery pool to be opened after Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a notice in November delaying the program's acceptance of new applications in order to "implement certain changes," but the application period never opened.

A month later, the State Department ordered an indefinite pause on issuing diversity visas after a Portuguese national who was issued a lottery visa in 2017 committed a mass shooting at Brown University, killing two people and injuring nine others. The shooter, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, was also tied to the murder of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor two days after the Brown University shooting.

FBI REVEALS BROWN UNIVERSITY MASS SHOOTER BEGAN PLOTTING MASSACRE AS EARLY AS 2022, BLAMED VICTIMS

The Ninth Circuit has been a perennial thorn in the side of President Donald Trump, having ruled against key portions of Trump's 2017 executive order restricting travel from predominantly Muslim countries and blocked a policy barring immigrants from being eligible for asylum if they crossed the southern border between ports of entry.

However, the appeals court ruled that the lower court's preliminary injunction could not be enforced, finding that the immigration law firm Red Eagle, which represents individuals going through the visa lottery process, did not have standing to sue the federal government. The appeals court ruled that the program was intended to "encourage immigration, not generate revenue for law firms."

LIBERAL COURT STUNS WITH RULING THAT HANDS TRUMP MAJOR IMMIGRATION WIN

The court wrote, "If Red Eagle Law were allowed to allege standing based upon its hypothetical or conjectural collateral injury, we would be opening the floodgates, allowing all lawyers to ‘roam the country in search of governmental wrongdoing.’"

However, the court made clear that its ruling was based on procedural grounds and did not weigh whether the State Department failed to follow the law.

"We do not endorse the Department’s failure to open the lottery registration period," the court wrote.

Abhishek Kambli, a former federal prosecutor and partner at Holtzman Vogel, said the decision by the liberal court was a "very easy call" in a post on X.

"Here, the plaintiff was a law firm not bringing a claim on behalf of someone in the diversity visa lottery but on behalf of the firm itself," Kambli wrote. "The district court should have never gone beyond standing but CA9 corrected this one."

TRUMP ADMIN ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF VISA RESTRICTION POLICY IN WESTERN HEMISPHERE

President Donald Trump has been vocal about his opposition to the Visa Lottery Program for years. During his January 2018 State of the Union address, he called for ending the program, arguing that visas should be issued based on merit.

Earlier that same month, Trump said during a bipartisan meeting with lawmakers at the White House that lottery visas allow the "worst of the worst" to come into the country.

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

"They call it ‘visa lottery,’ I just call it ‘lottery.’ But countries come in and they put names in a hopper," Trump said. "They’re not giving you their best names; common sense means they’re not giving you their best names."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Countries eligible for the 2026 lottery included Afghanistan, New Zealand, Ecuador, Iran, Uganda, Somalia and Russia. The program was designed to create an additional pathway for people seeking visas who may not qualify through traditional channels, such as employment- or family-based immigration.

Thirty-seven United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) workers are being held captive by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen, the agency's new executive director told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. Many have been detained for two years.

Luke J. Lindberg's remarks come as WFP workers face growing threats in some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones, where hundreds have died risking their lives to save others, he said.

"Right now in Yemen, we have 37 colleagues of ours who are currently detained," Lindberg said.

IRAN-BACKED TERROR PROXY HOUTHIS THREATEN FRESH ATTACKS AFTER YEMEN AIRPORT STRIKE

"These folks are out there to provide basic humanitarian services. They're not there to influence the political outcomes of a conflict. And so we need to protect them, and we need to get our detained colleagues released."

"All detainees are Yemeni nationals employed locally by the WFP, Lindberg clarified, before stating that some have been separated from their families for "nearly two years," he clarified.

"It's a really complex political environment," Lindberg continued before adding that there are no current Americans in that pool.

"They are all locally employed Yemenis," he clarified.

Just three days into his tenure, Lindberg raised the detentions with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, underscoring the urgency of securing the workers' release.

"Ambassador Waltz is aware, and the State Department team has done a great job of taking this seriously and also, it's a priority for them as it is for us to get these folks released."

TRUMP OFFICIALS UNVEIL PRIVATE SECTOR BLUEPRINT FOR LIFE AFTER USAID

"It's been almost two years," Lindberg said. "Away from their families. It breaks my heart."

The detentions come amid Yemen’s crippling civil war between the internationally recognized government and Iran-backed Houthis, which has devastated the economy and left millions dependent on humanitarian aid.

More than 18 million people face acute food insecurity, including more than two million children under age five suffering from acute malnutrition.

"Our team operates in the most impossible and challenging conditions you can imagine around the world," Lindberg said.

"People like me, we're not out in the field, literally handing food to people and literally cooking food for people so that they get the nourishment. It's the wonderful people, the people that choose to go out and do this work that are the real heroes of this equation."

Lindberg said the WFP must now balance reaching vulnerable populations with protecting employees from unacceptable risks.

"And so there are areas where we will go into, areas where you can't go into. Again, the goal is the end of the conflict and allow humanitarian resources to flow into those areas.

"And until that happens, there are areas where we do not operate so that our staff can remain protected and that they can do their job safely."

US VISA CLASH EXPOSES SUDAN’S FORGOTTEN WAR AS FOREIGN POWERS COMPETE FOR STRATEGIC FOOTHOLD

The dangers extend beyond Yemen, with Lindberg saying conflict drives roughly two-thirds of acute food insecurity worldwide, with an estimated 266 million people facing severe hunger.

"It means the most challenging levels of hunger we can imagine," Lindberg said.

The crisis has intensified pressure on humanitarian organizations to deliver food in some of the world's most dangerous and inaccessible regions.

"But the World Food Programme really has a great team operating in over 120 countries around the world, doing this hard work each and every day," he explained.

Among the most urgent crises, he said, are those in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia, where conflict, displacement and climate-related disasters have pushed vulnerable communities toward famine.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has displaced millions and triggered famine conditions in parts of the country, with Lindberg saying Sudan will be his first field destination as executive director, reflecting the urgency of the crisis.

"Right now, we are approaching famine levels in three countries, predominantly in the Africa region, in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia," he said.

"And so those are flash points for me that are incredibly important for us to focus on, find the resources that should be available to help us meet those needs specifically."

Other humanitarian emergencies include Gaza, where fighting, damaged infrastructure, restricted access and funding shortages have complicated food deliveries, and Haiti, where gang violence has disrupted aid access.

SAUDI ARABIA ON EDGE: ICONIC KINGDOM CENTRE SENDS WORKERS HOME AMID HOUTHI ATTACKS

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fighting involving armed groups has displaced millions, while the war in Ukraine has also disrupted agricultural production and global food supply chains.

But Lindberg said one of the most disturbing consequences of these conflicts is the rising death toll among humanitarian workers with hundreds killed worldwide in recent years.

"Unfortunately, in the past couple of years, we've lost over 700 humanitarians around the world in their active duty.

"To me, that's the worst possible outcome. It's really unacceptable. And so yes, many of our World Food Programme colleagues have unfortunately been caught up in those circumstances as well.

"It's my commitment to call each one of those family members should that happen, but it's primarily my goal to not let that happen anymore."

Lindberg's appointment comes as the WFP confronts major humanitarian emergencies and funding pressures, while also bringing the agency a direct connection to President Donald Trump.

A South Dakota native, Lindberg previously served as undersecretary of agriculture for trade and foreign agricultural affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, overseeing international agricultural assistance programs, including the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Food for Progress programs.

Lindberg succeeds Cindy McCain, who stepped down this year, with Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau serving in the interim. Since 1992, six executive directors were American.

SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER WARNS HOUTHI THREAT GOES GLOBAL AS TRUMP HOLDS FIRE

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General Qu Dongyu appointed Lindberg after consulting the WFP Executive Board.

Lindberg said Trump personally called to ask him to serve as the U.S. nominee for the position, a conversation he described as evidence of the president's commitment to humanitarian efforts.

"When I was nominated to lead the World Food Program by the United States, President Trump personally took the time to call me and offer me this opportunity," Lindberg said.

"And to me, that shows his heart for this work. He is somebody that believes in peace around the world. And for me to have the opportunity to speak with him about how the World Food Programme can.

"To play an important role alongside the U.S. in addressing these humanitarian needs was a special moment that I'll never forget."

That said, Lindberg is adamant that his new job at the World Food Programme comes with a clear mission: "show up no matter what."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That means focusing on delivering food to those who need it, regardless of the politics involved.

"To safely and effectively deliver food, and to really stay out of the politics of it, our goal is to feed hungry people."

Fox News Digital's Sydney Finver contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Two Republican members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing concern over the state of NATO ally Albania’s democratic backsliding, urging the department to use its visa restriction authority against Albanian officials complicit in significant corruption.

"We write to express concern about the state of democracy and the rule of law in the Republic of Albania, a NATO ally and candidate for European Union membership. The United States has invested heavily in Albania's justice reforms and has a strong interest in their success. Recent events suggest that progress is fragile and, in key areas, at risk of reversal," the letter to Secretary Rubio said.

Specifically, the letter urges Secretary Rubio to use the State Department's authority under Section 7031(c) of the annual Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act to publicly designate Albanian officials and their immediate family members, if necessary, if credible information of involvement in significant corruption exists.

SERBIA’S LONGTIME LEADER FACES BIGGEST POLITICAL TEST AS STUDENTS MOUNT ELECTION CHALLENGE

The letter, written by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and his Republican colleague, House Europe Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, requested the administration answer four key questions by Nov. 5.

In addition to asking the state department to commit to reviewing Albanian officials for designation under its visa restriction authority, the members of congress inquired about what assistance is being provided to Albania's broader justice reform efforts and whether the U.S. Embassy in Tirana is working with local officials to protect protesters and journalists.

The Republican representatives are also requesting an update on former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who was charged with interfering in public procurement for road construction. Prosecutors asked parliament in December 2025 to lift her immunity so she could be arrested, but Prime Minister Edi Rama called the request unconstitutional, and parliament has not allowed the arrest to proceed.

The members of congress say that Albania's anti-corruption institutions cannot succeed in rooting out corruption when political leaders shield the officials they investigate.

US LAWMAKERS SOUND ALARM AS VIOLENCE GRIPS NATO ALLY ALBANIA AMID ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS

Like fellow protesters in France and across Europe, tens of thousands have protested amid allegations of government corruption, inadequate education, unemployment and a lack of opportunity. The growing nationwide protest movement is driven by students and citizens also demanding accountability, an end to corruption and what they say is the restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Demonstrations broke out in the capital, Tirana, two weeks ago, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. The protests quickly turned violent as demonstrators lobbed Molotov cocktails at the Education Ministry and clashed with police.

Protesters also took aim at Rama’s Socialist Party headquarters in Tirana, squaring off with riot police who had been dispatched to protect government property.

Rama blamed "foreign hands who do not want Albania in the European Union and who promote the masks that claim to represent students, but who in fact, more than students, represent organized crime itself."

So far, the prime minister has refused to resign but has proposed entering into dialogue with the protesters.

FRANCE ROCKED BY STUDENT RIOTS AS HUNDREDS ARRESTED, VIOLENCE SPREADS NATIONWIDE

The violence taking place across Albania is a worrying sign for a country struggling to maintain its democracy and continue the path to EU accession.

"Congress is deeply concerned about the situation in Albania as the government uses excessive force against citizens who are demanding accountability and clean institutions. Corruption and narcotrafficking associated with the Rama government must be countered," Rep. Wilson told Fox News Digital in a statement.

The turmoil in Albania comes as the country has long sought European Union membership, which began in 2014 when it became an official candidate for accession. While the 2025 annual European Commission report stated that Albania made significant strides in judicial reforms and combating organized crime, the continued allegations of corruption in the Rama government and the current violence taking place will complicate its path to EU membership.

The student protests in Albania mirror the mass protests that took place in neighboring Serbia, where a student-led political movement toppled longtime leader Aleksandar Vučić.

"Vucic’s defeat by a student-backed movement, following nearly two years of demonstrations over corruption and government accountability, is a striking parallel with the unrest now confronting Rama in Albania, where protests have been ongoing for over 150 days," Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.N. and U.S., told Fox News.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"In Albania, students and other citizens have been demonstrating since May, with the latest wave of daily protests intensifying demands for the resignation of a prime minister who has governed for more than 13 years with rampant corruption and declining public services," Nesho added.

Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro fled Brazil for the United States on Tuesday, two days after losing the country's presidential runoff to leftist incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The U.S. Department of State will issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family and allow them to enter the U.S., a senior State Department official confirmed to Fox News Digital.

An ally of the far-right conservative senator confirmed his departure from the South American country to Reuters on Tuesday.

Bolsonaro's flight was reportedly headed to Florida, according to Brazilian outlet Metropoles, citing people close to his family.

BRAZIL’S RAPID ELECTION COUNT PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON VOTING SECURITY AHEAD OF US MIDTERMS

The 45-year-old lawmaker had been out of public view since Tuesday morning, the outlet reported.

His departure came as a deadline for him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports expired at noon Tuesday. 

Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo reported Bolsonaro was under investigation for alleged money laundering and other crimes. 

It remained unclear whether Bolsonaro had complied with the order, The Associated Press reported.

BRAZIL BECOMES NEXT TEST FOR LATIN AMERICA’S SURGING CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT

Bolsonaro was served with the order Monday, a day after Lula defeated him in Sunday's presidential runoff for an unprecedented fourth term.

With 100% of the vote counted, Lula won 51.8% of the vote, defeating Bolsonaro by nearly 4.4 million votes.

He has refused to concede the election and has called for the election results to be annulled, alleging fraud, according to The Associated Press.

Lula addressed supporters after winning re-election, expressing gratitude to the Brazilian people.

CONSERVATIVE WAVE HITS ROADBLOCK IN BRAZIL AS LULA HOLDS OFF BOLSONARO CHALLENGE

"No one is required to like the president-elect, but he must govern for everyone," Lula said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Referring to his opponent, Lula said, "This was a defeat for denialism and lies."

Fox News Digital's David Unsworth and Michael Sinkewicz, as well as Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.