Trump Halts Diversity Visa Lottery Program Following Deadly Campus Shooting Linked to Former Recipient

In a significant move, President Donald Trump has directed the suspension of the U.S. green card lottery, officially known as the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. This decision follows a tragic incident at Brown University that resulted in two fatalities, with the suspect linked to entry through the program.

The individual in question, a 48 year-old Portuguese national named Claudio Neves Valente, was found deceased on December 18 from what authorities describe as a self inflicted injury. He had obtained permanent residency in 2017 via the diversity visa lottery route. Investigators also connect him to the earlier death of Nuno Loureiro, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the pause, emphasizing the need to protect American lives from potential risks associated with the initiative. She stated that the action aims to prevent future tragedies tied to what she called a flawed system.

Details Behind the Suspension

The order came shortly after law enforcement located Valente’s body in a New Hampshire storage unit, concluding a multi-state search that lasted six days. Surveillance footage and public reports helped identify a rental vehicle connected to him, leading to the discovery.

Items recovered included a bag and weapons, with additional evidence from a nearby vehicle matching the Brown University crime scene in Providence, Rhode Island. According to local officials, Valente had briefly attended the university as a physics doctoral student around two decades ago but held no ongoing ties.

Authorities further allege that Valente was responsible for the shooting of 47 year old MIT professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro at his residence in Brookline, Massachusetts, approximately 50 miles from the initial incident site.

Understanding the Diversity Visa Lottery Program

This lottery system allocates up to 50,000 visas annually through a randomized draw, targeting applicants from nations with historically low U.S. immigration rates. Established in the 1990s, it attracts millions of entries each year.

Eligibility requires a high school diploma or equivalent work experience in a skilled field, along with thorough background checks and interviews. While Congress authorized the program, the legal basis for its current halt remains under scrutiny, as the State Department primarily manages it, with support from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

President Trump has long opposed the program, attempting to terminate it during his prior term after a 2017 New York attack involving a lottery recipient. He also imposed restrictions in 2020. Advocates argue it promotes economic growth and enhances America’s global reputation, with recipients undergoing rigorous screening.

For official details on the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, refer to the U.S. Department of State’s resource at https://dvprogram.state.gov/.

The Role of Green Cards in U.S. Immigration

Green cards provide lawful permanent residency, paving the way for citizenship applications. Annually, the U.S. issues close to a million such cards.

Family reunification accounts for about 70% of them, based on Senate data from 2018. Employment-based categories often involve transitions from temporary statuses, with around 80% going to individuals already in the country.

This suspension highlights ongoing debates over immigration policies, balancing security with opportunities for global talent. As developments unfold, stakeholders await clarity on the program’s future and any congressional responses.

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