Donald Trump suspends green card lottery following deadly campus shootings in Massachusetts.
President Trump on Thursday ordered an immediate suspension of the U.S. diversity visa program, commonly known as the green card lottery, following revelations that a suspected gunman involved in fatal shootings near Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology entered the country through the program.
The suspect, identified as Claudio Neves Valente, was a Portuguese national who arrived in the United States in 2017 under the diversity visa program, according to U.S. State Department records. The program allocates up to 55,000 immigrant visas each year through a random selection process, with eligibility limited to applicants from countries that historically send fewer immigrants to the United States.
Once selected, applicants must still meet all legal and security requirements for permanent residency. Participation in the lottery does not guarantee approval, but it provides access to the green card application process.
How the diversity visa program works
The diversity visa program was created by Congress to broaden the geographic diversity of legal immigration. It favors applicants from underrepresented countries, allowing them to apply for permanent residency through a lottery system rather than family or employment sponsorship.
Applicants undergo background checks, interviews, and security screenings similar to other green card pathways. Despite these measures, critics have long argued that the random selection aspect poses national security concerns.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the suspension on Thursday in a public statement, referencing previous attacks linked to the program.
She pointed to the 2017 New York City truck attack, in which an ISIS inspired assailant who entered the U.S. through the diversity visa program killed eight people.
“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program,” Noem wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security has not provided a timeline for how long the suspension will remain in effect.
It is unclear whether the president has the authority to suspend the diversity visa program without congressional approval. The program was established through legislation, and immigration law experts note that dismantling it permanently would likely require congressional action.
The administration has not yet clarified whether it views the suspension as temporary or intends to pursue broader legislative changes.
Immigration and humanitarian groups sharply criticized the move, arguing that it unfairly targets tens of thousands of applicants with no connection to violent crime.
“It is unjust to block the legal immigration processes of people who have nothing to do with this offense except that they applied for the same visa,” said Myal Greene, president of World Relief.
He added that the decision reflects a broader effort to restrict legal immigration by using isolated incidents as justification, warning that such actions could harm the U.S. economy and undermine lawful immigration channels.
Pattern of policy responses after violent incidents
The green card lottery suspension follows a series of recent immigration restrictions implemented after violent crimes involving foreign nationals.
Last month, an Afghan national was arrested in connection with the killing of a National Guard member in Washington, D.C. Shortly after, the administration paused all pending asylum cases and immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries labeled as high risk under an expanded travel ban framework.
The White House also halted all visa processing for Afghanistan, effectively closing pathways for individuals who assisted U.S. forces during the war.
USCIS tightens screening standards
In August, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced new evaluation standards for immigration and asylum applications. Officers are now instructed to assess whether applicants demonstrate “good moral character” using a broader, community based review.
The agency said decisions would no longer rely solely on criminal records, but also consider overall conduct and standing within local communities.
Authorities confirmed that Valente was found dead inside a storage facility in New Hampshire on Thursday. His location was discovered after a member of the public provided information to law enforcement.
The Saturday shooting near Brown University resulted in two fatalities. Days later, MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro was shot and killed. The FBI previously stated there was no confirmed link between the two incidents.
