President Donald Trump has halted the U.S. green-card lottery program after a suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings entered the country through that very system.
The Diversity Visa Program Explained
The Diversity Visa (DV) program allocates up to 55,000 immigrant visas worldwide through random selection. It prioritizes applicants from countries with low U.S. immigration rates. Those selected can apply for a green card and are subject to the same residency standards as other applicants.
Trump’s Decision and DHS Response
On Thursday, Trump suspended the DV program. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X: “In 2017, President Trump fought to end this program, following the devastating NYC truck ramming by an ISIS terrorist, who entered under the DV1 program, and murdered eight people.” She added, “At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program.”
Claudio Neves Valente: The Suspect
Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national, entered the U.S. in 2017 via the DV program. He was found dead inside a New Hampshire storage closet Thursday after authorities learned of his whereabouts from an individual who came forward with information. The Saturday shooting at Brown University resulted in two deaths, just days before MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro was shot and killed earlier this week. The FBI said there was no link between the two cases. The incident follows a November shooting involving two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., in which one soldier died.
Broader Immigration Reforms
An Afghan national was deemed responsible for the attack that led the Trump administration to place a hold on all pending asylum applications and pause benefit requests from 19 high-risk countries. The administration has launched an overhaul of the immigration process, aiming to weed out “violent criminals” while targeting undocumented immigrants in widespread operations. In August, USCIS announced it would evaluate applicants’ “good moral character” and adopt a more “holistic” approach to asylum and citizenship applications. Officers must now weigh not only disqualifying behavior but also whether applicants are in good standing in their communities.
Key Takeaways
- Trump suspended the DV program after a suspect in major university shootings entered via the lottery.
- DHS Secretary Noem announced a pause of the DV1 program on Trump’s directive.
- The administration is expanding immigration reforms to target violent criminals and reassess asylum procedures.
The move underscores a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy, emphasizing security concerns and a stricter evaluation of applicants.
