President Donald Trump suspended the Diversity Visa lottery program on Thursday. The move follows a deadly shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island. The suspected gunman was a Portuguese national who entered the U.S. through the program.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the immediate pause. She stated the action was taken at the President’s direction. The goal is to prevent further harm from what she called a “disastrous program.”
Shooter Entered U.S. Through Visa Lottery
The suspected shooter was Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente. He was 48 years old and a former Brown University student. According to Fox News, he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Secretary Noem directly linked the shooter to the visa program. She said he entered the United States through the Diversity Visa lottery in 2017. He was subsequently granted a permanent resident green card.
The shooting occurred during final exams at Brown’s engineering building. Two students were killed and nine others were injured. Authorities are also investigating the death of an MIT professor, a fellow Portuguese national, for a possible connection.
What Is the Now-Paused Diversity Visa Program?
The Diversity Visa program is often called the green card lottery. It was created by the Immigration Act of 1990. The program aimed to diversify the immigrant population in the United States.
It made up to 55,000 immigrant visas available annually through a random drawing. Winners could then apply for lawful permanent residence. Applicants still underwent standard consular interviews and vetting processes.
This year, approximately 20 million people applied worldwide. Only about 131,000 individuals, including their spouses, were selected. The program’s sudden suspension leaves thousands of applicants in limbo.
The immediate suspension of the green card lottery marks a significant policy shift. It directly ties immigration channels to national security concerns. This move will likely fuel ongoing debates about U.S. visa reform for the foreseeable future.
Info at your fingertips
What is the Diversity Visa program?
It is a U.S. government lottery for an immigrant visa, commonly called the green card lottery. The program aimed to diversify the immigrant population by selecting applicants randomly from countries with low U.S. immigration rates.
Why did President Trump suspend it?
The suspension was a direct response to the Brown University shooting. The alleged shooter was identified as a past winner of the Diversity Visa lottery, prompting the administration to cite security concerns.
How many people does this affect?
The program allotted up to 55,000 visas per year. This year, over 20 million people applied globally, with about 131,000 individuals initially selected in the lottery draw before the pause.
Was the shooter properly vetted?
Like all green card applicants, Diversity Visa winners undergo consular interviews and background checks. Authorities have not yet detailed any specific failures in this case’s vetting process.
Is the suspension permanent?
The administration has ordered an “immediate pause.” No official timeline for a review or potential reinstatement of the program has been provided at this time.
Was there a second victim connected to the case?
Authorities are investigating the death of an MIT professor, also from Portugal. They are probing a potential link to the Brown University shooter, but no definitive connection has been publicly confirmed.
Trusted Sources
Information in this report was gathered from authoritative news sources including Fox News and CBS News. Official statements were provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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