Trump halts Green Card lottery linked to Brown University, MIT shooter

President Donald Trump has suspended the green card lottery through which the suspect, a Portuguese national, in the Brown University and MIT shootings entered the US.

Homeland Security order

Taking to X, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the suspect Claudio Manuel Neves Valente entered the US through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program (DV1) in 2017 and was issued a Green Card.

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“The Brown University shooter, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, entered the United States through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program (DV1) in 2017 and was granted a green card. This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” stated Noem.

‘Trump fought to end the program in 2017’

She further stated that President Trump in 2017 fought to end the program following the NYC truck ramming incident by an ISIS terrorist who entered the US through the same Green Card scheme.

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“In 2017, President Trump fought to end this program, following the devastating NYC truck ramming by an ISIS terrorist, who entered under the DV1 program, and murdered eight people,” stated Noem.

“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program,” it added.

Who is the Brown University shooter

Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, 48, is suspected of killing two students and injuring nine others at Brown University before fatally shooting an MIT professor, authorities said. He was later found dead on Thursday evening from what officials described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. US Attorney for Massachusetts Leah B. Foley confirmed that Neves Valente obtained lawful permanent resident status in 2017.

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Homeland Security officials said the suspect entered the United States through the diversity immigrant visa program, commonly referred to as the green card lottery. The program allocates up to 50,000 visas annually to applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the US, many of them in Africa and parts of Europe. Portuguese nationals accounted for just 38 selected applicants in the most recent lottery cycle.

20 million applied for diversity visa lottery

Nearly 20 million people applied for the 2025 diversity visa lottery, with more than 131,000 individuals selected when accounting for spouses and dependents. Applicants who are selected must still undergo extensive background checks, interviews at US consulates, and meet the same eligibility and security requirements as other green card applicants before being admitted.

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The program was established by Congress, making any effort to halt or dismantle it likely to face legal challenges. Nevertheless, Trump has long criticised the lottery, arguing it poses security risks. The administration has previously cited violent incidents involving foreign nationals as justification for tightening immigration rules, including imposing broad restrictions after a deadly attack on National Guard members in November.

(With inputs from agencies)