US Suspends Green Card Lottery After Deadly University Shooting

The United States government has suspended the Diversity Visa (DV) green card lottery following a deadly shooting at a major university, a move that has reignited national debate over immigration screening, public safety, and gun violence.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the decision on Thursday, confirming that the suspension was ordered by President Donald Trump.

According to US authorities, the suspect behind the recent campus attack entered the country through the diversity visa programme before later obtaining permanent residency.

The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, is accused of opening fire at Brown University, killing two students and injuring several others. Investigators also linked him to the killing of a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) days after the initial attack, escalating concerns across elite academic institutions in the New England region.

US officials disclosed that Neves Valente had previously studied in the United States on a student visa before transitioning to permanent resident status under the diversity visa scheme. Law enforcement agencies stated that he had lived legally in the country for years prior to the attacks.

After an intense, multi-day manhunt involving federal and state authorities, the suspect was found dead at a storage facility in New Hampshire. Police recovered firearms at the scene and said evidence suggests he acted alone. Investigators noted that he took deliberate steps to evade detection, including changing vehicle license plates and using difficult-to-trace communication devices.

The Diversity Visa programme grants up to 55,000 green cards annually to applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States. It has long been controversial, particularly among conservative policymakers, and President Trump previously attempted to end the scheme during his first term following earlier violent incidents involving visa beneficiaries.

In announcing the suspension, the Department of Homeland Security said the pause would allow for a comprehensive review of the programme’s vetting and security procedures. Officials argued that safeguarding American lives must take priority over continuing what they described as a flawed immigration pathway.

The shootings have also raised questions about campus security infrastructure.

Brown University has faced criticism after it emerged that its extensive network of security cameras was not directly linked to local police surveillance systems, potentially slowing the initial response.

The incident adds to growing concerns about gun violence in the United States, with more than 300 mass shootings recorded nationwide so far this year, according to independent monitoring groups. Efforts to tighten gun control laws remain politically divided, leaving federal and state authorities under pressure to address both security and immigration challenges.

University leaders have expressed condolences to the families of the victims and pledged support for affected students and staff, as communities begin the long process of recovery and healing after the tragic events