By Sankofaonline News Desk : December 19, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. : President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered an immediate freeze of the Diversity Visa Program , commonly known as the green card lottery , after investigators confirmed that the man linked to the deadly shootings at Brown University and MIT first entered the United States through the program in 2017.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the suspension, saying she acted under the president’s directive after authorities identified Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48‑year‑old Portuguese national, as the gunman responsible for killing two Brown University students, injuring nine others, and later fatally shooting an MIT professor. Valente was discovered dead Thursday evening from what officials described as a self‑inflicted gunshot wound.
Noem criticized the visa lottery as a “dangerous gateway” that had previously allowed individuals who posed security risks to enter the country. She noted that Trump had long argued for the program’s elimination, citing past attacks involving recipients of the same visa category.
A Program Under Fresh Political Fire
The Diversity Visa Program, created by Congress to broaden the pool of immigrants from underrepresented regions, grants up to 50,000 green cards each year. Millions apply annually, though only a fraction are selected and must still pass additional screening before receiving permanent residency.
Valente, who once studied physics at Brown University, was issued a diversity visa in 2017 and later became a lawful permanent resident, according to federal documents referenced in multiple reports.
Legal Challenges Expected
While the administration can pause the program, permanently ending it would require congressional action , a point immigration advocates emphasized as they prepared for potential legal battles. Supporters of the program argue that it has offered life‑changing opportunities to thousands, while critics insist it exposes the country to unnecessary risks.
The shootings have reignited national debate over immigration vetting, campus safety, and the balance between openness and security.
Communities in Mourning
The attack at Brown University, carried out during final exams, left two students dead and nine others wounded inside an engineering building. Days later, MIT professor Nuno Loureiro, a former classmate of Valente in Portugal, was shot and killed near his home in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Although the suspect is deceased, the FBI says its investigation continues, with agents working to piece together Valente’s movements, motives, and mental state.
The suspension of the green card lottery marks one of the administration’s most consequential immigration decisions to date , and one that is certain to shape political debate in the months ahead .
