President Donald Trump has ordered a suspension of the U.S. diversity visa lottery program, following the shootings at Brown University and MIT carried out by Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente. The Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, confirmed the directive on the social platform X, stating that the suspect ‘should never have been allowed in our country.?
Valente, 48, is accused of killing two students at Brown University and an MIT professor, and wounding nine others. Authorities reported that he died Thursday evening from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to a Providence police affidavit, Valente initially entered the United States on a student visa in 2000, before later receiving a diversity immigrant visa in 2017 and obtaining legal permanent residence. His whereabouts between leaving Brown in 2001 and obtaining the visa are unclear.
The diversity visa program, also known as the green card lottery, grants up to 50,000 green cards annually to individuals from countries underrepresented in the U.S., many of which are in Africa. The program is managed by Congress, and winners must undergo standard consular vetting and interviews. For the 2025 lottery, nearly 20 million people applied, with 131,000 selected including spouses. Portuguese citizens were allocated only 38 slots.
Noem emphasized that the lottery winner vetting process failed in this case, linking it to Valente’s ability to enter the U.S. The suspension reflects Trump’s longstanding opposition to the diversity visa program, which he has criticized as a pathway that undermines national security.
Observers note that Trump has historically used incidents of violence to push stricter immigration policies. Following a fatal attack by an Afghan national on U.S. National Guard members in November, his administration imposed broad restrictions on immigration from Afghanistan and other countries. Trump’s approach also includes efforts to limit legal immigration avenues, and his administration continues to challenge birthright citizenship in the Supreme Court.
The diversity visa program remains a significant channel for legal immigration. Lottery winners, once selected, undergo rigorous vetting and interviews to receive a green card, facing the same requirements as other permanent resident applicants. The suspension could affect tens of thousands of applicants worldwide, as the program remains one of the few pathways for citizens from underrepresented nations to legally settle in the United States.
In euros, the total annual value of 50,000 green cards, assuming an approximate administrative cost of $10,000 per applicant including processing and consular services, would equate to roughly ?4.9 billion (? BGN 9.7 billion). This figure highlights the scale of resources involved in administering the lottery each year.
Trump’s suspension is expected to face legal challenges, as the diversity visa lottery is established by federal law, and its suspension raises questions about executive authority and the scope of immigration control during national emergencies.
