WASHINGTON, February 29, 2024 – President Donald Trump on Thursday suspended the green card lottery program, a move directly linked to the shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) allegedly committed by Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national who entered the U.S. through the program.
Lottery Pause Follows Deadly Shootings
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the Trump governance acted swiftly, citing national security concerns after the suspect’s connection to the diversity visa program was revealed. Kristi Noem ordered U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to pause the program at Trump’s direction.
- Valente, 48, is suspected of killing two Brown University students, wounding nine others, and fatally shooting an MIT professor before taking his own life.
- nearly 20 million people applied for the 2025 visa lottery, with over 131,000 selected for further vetting.
“This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.The decision to suspend the program underscores the administration’s long-standing opposition to the diversity visa lottery, which critics argue poses security risks.
Suspect’s Path to U.S. Residency
According to an affidavit from a Providence police detective,Valente initially studied at Brown University on a student visa starting in 2000. He later received a diversity immigrant visa in 2017 and later obtained legal permanent resident status. The period between his departure from Brown in 2001 and receiving the visa remains unclear.
The diversity visa program, established by Congress, aims to promote immigration from countries underrepresented in the U.S. immigration system, with a meaningful number of recipients originating from African nations. The program’s structure, awarding green cards through a lottery, has consistently drawn criticism from those advocating for a merit-based immigration system.
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The 2025 visa lottery saw nearly 20 million applications, with over 131,000 applicants-including spouses-selected for further vetting. Portuguese citizens were awarded only 38 slots in the lottery. Winners are required to undergo interviews at consulates and meet the same requirements as other green card applicants.
A Pattern of Immigration Restrictions
This move is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Trump administration to restrict both legal and illegal immigration. Following a fatal attack on National Guard members in November allegedly committed by an afghan man, the administration implemented sweeping restrictions on immigration from Afghanistan and other countries.
Trump has consistently sought to limit legal immigration pathways, even those established by law, such as the diversity visa lottery. He has also challenged the constitutional right to birthright citizenship,with the Supreme Court recently agreeing to hear his case. While pursuing mass deportation,Trump has sought to limit or eliminate avenues to legal immigration.
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The suspension of the diversity visa lottery is almost certain to face legal challenges, given its congressional authorization. The administration’s actions continue to reflect a broader strategy of prioritizing national security concerns and reshaping the U.S. immigration landscape.
