Trump Suspends Green Card Lottery After US Campus Shooting

Hyderabad, Dec 19 (Maxim News):  US President Donald Trump on Thursday suspended the green card lottery program after it emerged that the suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings had entered the United States through the scheme.

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The decision followed directions issued by Trump to halt the diversity visa process with immediate effect.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the move on the social platform X. She said she had ordered the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to pause the green card lottery program. She stated that the suspect should never have been allowed to enter the country.

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The suspect was identified as Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, aged 48. Authorities said he was responsible for shootings at Brown University that killed two students and injured nine others. He was also suspected in the killing of an MIT professor. Officials confirmed that Neves Valente was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Court records show that Neves Valente first arrived in the United States on a student visa in 2000. He enrolled at Brown University but took a leave of absence in 2001.

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According to a police affidavit, he was issued a diversity immigrant visa in 2017. He later obtained legal permanent resident status through the green card lottery program. His whereabouts between 2001 and 2017 remain unclear.

The green card lottery program makes up to 50,000 visas available each year. It is aimed at applicants from countries with low levels of immigration to the United States.

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Many beneficiaries come from African nations. The program was created by Congress, which means its suspension is likely to face legal challenges.

For the 2025 cycle, nearly 20 million people applied for the lottery. More than 131,000 individuals were selected, including family members. Portuguese citizens secured only 38 slots. Winners are required to undergo interviews and background checks similar to other green card applicants.

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Trump has consistently opposed the green card lottery program. His administration has argued that it poses security risks and undermines merit based immigration. The suspension follows earlier policy actions after violent incidents involving foreign nationals.

While pursuing mass deportation, Trump has also moved to restrict legal immigration pathways. These efforts include challenges to programs established by law.

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The US Supreme Court recently agreed to hear his challenge to birthright citizenship. The latest decision signals a continued push to reshape US immigration policy using executive authority. (Maxim News) 

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