
Timeline: Visa lottery winners lose once-in-a-lifetime chance to come to U.S.
[Also published by UPI with the interactive timeline linked to the words "an assortment of barriers"]
Mohammed Alarefi, a native of war-torn Yemen, shown with his child, was prevented from immigrating to the United States despite him and his wife winning the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery a combined three times. (Courtesy of Mohammed Alarefi)
WASHINGTON — When Mohammed Alarefi, a native of war-torn Yemen, won the U.S. visa lottery in May 2018, it was the realization of his childhood dream: a chance to move to America. “I registered every year until the miracle happened and I was chosen” for a dive