President Donald Trump has ordered the immediate suspension of the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, commonly referred to as the “Green Card Lottery,” following confirmation that the suspect linked to the deadly Brown University and MIT shootings entered the United States through the program, as reported by the Gateway Pundit.
The decision was announced Thursday by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who confirmed that Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, entered the United States under the Diversity Visa immigrant program, known as DV1, in 2017 and was later granted lawful permanent resident status.
Valente has been identified by law enforcement as the gunman responsible for a fatal shooting at Brown University and the killing of an MIT professor before he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a multiday manhunt.
This case broke open because someone the system ignored refused to look away.
A former Brown student, homeless and living unnoticed in a campus basement, encountered Claudio Manuel Neves Valente about two hours before the December 13 shooting.
Surveillance shows him following… pic.twitter.com/znJpMtoOHh
— NLDR (Noldor) Media (@NLDRMedia) December 19, 2025
“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,” Noem said. “This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country.”
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According to federal officials, Valente initially entered the United States in 2000 on a student visa and later adjusted his immigration status through the Diversity Visa lottery.
The program, created by Congress, allocates up to 50,000 immigrant visas each year to applicants from countries with lower rates of immigration to the United States.
Noem said the decision to suspend the program was made at President Trump’s direction and cited past national security concerns associated with the lottery system.
“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,” Noem said.
“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.”
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.
In 2017, President Trump…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) December 19, 2025
According to the Associated Press, nearly 20 million people applied for the 2025 Diversity Visa lottery, with more than 131,000 individuals selected when including spouses of primary applicants.
Lottery winners are invited to apply for permanent residency and must undergo interviews at U.S. consulates, as well as background checks and vetting procedures consistent with other green card applicants.
The AP reported that Portuguese citizens were awarded only 38 diversity visa slots in the most recent lottery cycle.
The Diversity Visa Program has long been a target of criticism from President Trump, who has repeatedly called for its elimination, arguing it prioritizes chance over merit in the immigration system.
The suspension marks one of the most direct actions taken against the program during Trump’s presidency.
The program’s suspension is expected to face legal challenges, as it was established by Congress. The administration has not yet released details on how long the pause will remain in effect or whether it will seek permanent legislative changes.
The announcement follows heightened scrutiny of immigration vetting procedures after Valente was connected to the Brown University shooting that killed two students and the murder of an MIT professor.
Authorities have not publicly released a motive for the attacks.
The Supreme Court has recently agreed to hear a separate legal challenge brought by the Trump administration related to birthright citizenship, as the president continues broader efforts to reshape both legal and illegal immigration policies.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has been directed to immediately halt processing under the Diversity Visa program while further guidance is developed.
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