US President Donald Trump has ordered the suspension of the United States Diversity Immigrant Visa Programme, commonly known as the green card lottery, following a deadly shooting at Brown University that left two students dead and shocked the nation.
The decision comes after authorities confirmed that the suspected gunman, Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, entered the United States through the diversity visa lottery in 2017 before later obtaining permanent residency. The development has reignited political and public debate over the programme, which allows up to 50,000 foreign nationals annually to gain lawful permanent residence in the US through a random selection process.
Valente, 48, was found dead on Thursday in Salem, New Hampshire, in what law enforcement officials believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing an end to a multi-state manhunt that lasted nearly a week. Police discovered his body inside a storage facility alongside two firearms and a satchel, following intelligence gathered from surveillance footage and forensic evidence.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the suspension of the programme, saying she acted at the direct instruction of President Trump. In a statement posted on social media, Noem said the pause was necessary to “ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous programme.”
She added that President Trump has long opposed the diversity visa lottery, citing security concerns and its randomised nature. Trump had previously attempted to dismantle the programme following the 2017 truck-ramming attack in New York City, which killed eight people and was carried out by an individual who also entered the US through the lottery system.
“The president has been clear for years that immigration into the United States must be merit-based and security-driven,” Noem wrote. “This pause allows us to reassess the risks and vulnerabilities associated with the programme.”
The diversity visa lottery was established to encourage immigration from countries with historically low rates of migration to the United States. Each year, millions of applicants apply from eligible nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and parts of Latin America, with winners selected through a computer-generated random draw.
However, critics have argued that the programme lacks adequate vetting mechanisms and poses national security risks, while supporters insist it promotes diversity, inclusion, and opportunity for underrepresented regions of the world.
The Brown University shooting, which occurred on 13 December, intensified scrutiny of the programme. According to investigators, the gunman opened fire inside the university’s engineering building during final examinations, triggering panic across the campus. Two students were killed in the attack: Ella Cook, 19, from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, an Uzbek-American freshman. Nine other individuals sustained injuries, several of them serious.
University officials confirmed that the incident marked one of the deadliest acts of violence in Brown University’s history. Classes were suspended, and grief counselling services were made available to students and staff in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Further investigations revealed that authorities believe Valente was also responsible for the killing of Nuno F Gomes Loureiro, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Loureiro, 47, was shot dead at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, earlier in the week, approximately 50 miles from Providence, Rhode Island.
Investigators linked the two cases after reviewing CCTV footage that showed Valente’s rental car near both crime scenes. Ballistics evidence recovered from a vehicle associated with the suspect was later matched to the firearm used in the Brown University shooting, according to Peter Neronha, who confirmed the findings at a press briefing.
Following the attack, Brown University President Christina Paxson disclosed that Valente had studied for a PhD in physics at the institution during the 2000–2001 academic year but had no current affiliation with the university. She emphasised that the suspect had not been involved with Brown in any capacity for more than two decades.
“This tragedy has deeply shaken our community,” Paxson said. “Our hearts are with the families of the victims, and we remain committed to supporting our students and staff during this profoundly difficult time.”
The suspension of the diversity visa lottery has already sparked intense reactions across political, academic, and immigrant communities. Supporters of the move argue it is a necessary step to strengthen national security, while critics warn that the decision unfairly targets immigrants and undermines America’s long-standing reputation as a nation of opportunity.
Immigration advocates also note that millions of diversity visa recipients have gone on to become law-abiding citizens, professionals, and contributors to US society. They caution against linking an entire programme to the actions of one individual.
Nevertheless, the Trump administration appears firm in its stance, with officials signalling that the suspension could pave the way for permanent reforms or outright abolition of the programme. Any long-term change would likely require congressional approval, setting the stage for renewed legislative battles over immigration policy.
As investigations continue and the nation mourns the lives lost at Brown University, the incident has once again placed immigration, gun violence, and campus security at the centre of America’s political conversation.
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