President Donald Trump has suspended the US Diversity Visa Lottery, commonly known as the green card lottery, saying the program poses national security risks after authorities linked the Brown University and MIT shooting suspect to the system that allowed him to enter the country.
The program that grants limited green cards faces a halt
The Diversity Visa Lottery offers up to 50,000 green cards each year to people from countries with historically low immigration rates to the United States. Congress established the program to promote diversity and legal immigration opportunities.
Supporters say it opens doors for underrepresented regions. Critics argue the system is vulnerable and needs stronger safeguards.
Homeland Security orders pause under Trump’s direction
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she has ordered US Citizenship and Immigration Services to pause the program at Trump’s instruction. In a post on X, she said the suspect “should never have been allowed in our country,” referring to Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente.
BREAKING:
🇺🇸 Trump suspends Green Card lottery program after information emerged that Brown shooter and the killer of the Nuclear professor was residing in the US thanks to this program pic.twitter.com/QDKmSec1pb
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) December 19, 2025
Suspect linked to program found dead
Authorities say the 48-year-old Valente is suspected of killing two students and injuring nine others in a shooting at Brown University, along with killing a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earlier in the week. Officials said he was found dead Thursday evening from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators confirmed he entered the country through the green card lottery.
The suspension targets a program established by Congress, making legal challenges likely. Policy analysts say any effort to shut down or significantly restrict the lottery will likely be contested in federal court.
Millions apply but few gain approval
Nearly twenty million people applied for the 2025 Diversity Visa Lottery, with over 131,000 selected with spouses included. Selection only allows individuals to apply but does not guarantee entry. Applicants undergo background checks, interviews, and security vetting before receiving permanent residency. Portuguese nationals received only 38 slots in the most recent cycle.
Homeland Security officials said the program’s pause will allow time to reassess vetting standards and potential risks. They described the suspension as part of a wider review of immigration programs tied to public safety concerns.
Part of a broader immigration push
Trump has long opposed the Diversity Visa Lottery and has repeatedly pushed to limit legal immigration routes. Earlier this year, following a separate deadly attack involving an Afghan national, the administration tightened immigration restrictions on Afghanistan and several other countries.
The decision to suspend the lottery has renewed intense political debate. Supporters say the move strengthens national security. Critics argue the administration is drawing on tragic incidents to drive sweeping immigration changes that could reshape long-standing US policy.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
