Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
BREAKING NEWS: President Donald Trump has just announced the suspension of the U.S. green card lottery program following the tragic shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This urgent decision comes after authorities identified the alleged shooter as Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, who is suspected of killing two students and injuring nine others at Brown, as well as fatally shooting an MIT professor.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the suspension on the social media platform X, stating, “This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country.” Neves Valente was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the evening of October 26, 2023, just hours after the violent spree that rocked the Rhode Island community.
According to a police affidavit, Neves Valente had been in the U.S. on a student visa since 2000, later receiving a diversity immigrant visa in 2017 that allowed him to gain legal permanent resident status. His journey raises serious questions about immigration oversight, particularly concerning the diversity visa program that allocates 50,000 green cards annually through a lottery system aimed at increasing representation from underrepresented countries.
The lottery had seen an overwhelming response, with nearly 20 million people applying for the 2025 visa lottery. Of those, over 131,000 individuals were selected, including spouses of winners, although only 38 slots were awarded to Portuguese citizens. Winners must pass a thorough vetting process before being admitted to the United States.
This suspension is likely to face legal challenges, as the diversity visa lottery was established by Congress, and Trump’s administration has a history of pushing for stricter immigration policies. The latest move has drawn parallels to previous reactions to violent incidents, as seen when the administration imposed broad immigration restrictions following a deadly attack involving an Afghan national last November.
As the investigation continues, the implications of this suspension will likely reverberate through the immigration landscape. Advocates and critics alike are watching closely, as this decision exemplifies how tragedy can influence policy.
What happens next? The future of the green card lottery hangs in the balance as legal battles may ensue. Moreover, this latest development underscores the ongoing national debate regarding immigration reform and its consequences for thousands of hopeful applicants.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds.
