WASHINGTON (AP) — In response to the tragic shootings at Brown University and MIT, President Donald Trump has suspended the green card lottery program that permitted the suspect, Claudio Neves Valente, to enter the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting under Trump's directive, announced through social media that she has ordered the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to pause the diversity visa lottery.
“This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Noem declared, referring to the 48-year-old Portuguese national who was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Neves Valente's involvement in the shooting that resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries, alongside the murder of an MIT professor, has reignited debates on immigration policies. He had gained legal permanent residence in the U.S. in 2017.
The diversity visa program allocates 50,000 green cards annually via lottery for applicants from countries that are underrepresented in the U.S., often including nations in Africa. Last year, approximately 20 million individuals applied, with only 131,000 successful candidates.
Critics argue that suspending the lottery could lead to legal battles, given that it was established by Congress. Despite Trump's long-standing opposition to the lottery, this latest action exemplifies the administration's strategy of leveraging tragedies to push for stricter immigration measures.
While pursuing mass deportations, Trump has consistently sought to limit pathways for legal immigration, often bypassing legal frameworks. The suspension of the lottery is another significant step in this ongoing policy adjustment, which also includes his challenge to birthright citizenship to the Supreme Court.
