Following a violent incident at an Ivy League university, the Trump administration has taken decisive action on an immigration program.
Specifically, Trump cancels visa lottery programs linked to criminal suspects. This move represents the latest step in a longstanding campaign to reshape U.S. immigration policy.
The Announcement: Visa Lottery Suspension
On Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the immediate suspension of the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program.
Consequently, this action directly halts the lottery that granted entry to the suspect in the Brown University shooting.
“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1 program,” Noem stated, arguing the program is disastrous. Therefore, the decision to cancel the visa lottery is now in effect.
A Longstanding Campaign to End the Program
Importantly, Friday’s announcement is not an isolated event. The administration has long sought to narrow pathways to legal immigration, often citing crime as justification.
For instance, following a 2017 attack in New York City, President Trump urged Congress to end the system, criticizing the lottery concept. This persistent effort underscores the push to cancel the visa lottery permanently.
The Brown University Shooting Suspect
The policy shift coincides with new details about the suspect, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente. Valente, a Portuguese physics scholar, received his green card through the DV lottery in 2017.
After a nationwide manhunt following the campus shooting, he was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities believe he was also connected to a professor’s homicide at MIT.
Background on the Diversity Visa Lottery
Established in 1990, the Diversity Visa Program aimed to offer immigration opportunities to individuals from underrepresented countries.
However, critics, including President Trump, have consistently questioned its efficacy and security. The administration’s move to cancel the visa lottery reflects these longstanding criticisms, despite the program’s rigorous screening processes for selected applicants.
History of Visa Actions Following Crimes
This administration has a established pattern of revoking visas and altering immigration policy after violent attacks.
For example, following the shooting of National Guard members in Washington D.C., Trump halted visa applications from Afghanistan.
Similarly, after the assassination of commentator Charlie Kirk, visas were revoked for foreign nationals who made offensive online posts.
These actions illustrate a consistent strategy where the administration moves to cancel visa lottery avenues and other programs in response to crimes.
The decision to cancel the visa lottery program is a major policy shift tied directly to a tragic campus shooting. While framed as a public safety measure, it continues a broader administration agenda to restrict immigration.
The suspension of the Diversity Visa Lottery marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing national debate over immigration and security.
