President Donald Trump announced Thursday night he is suspending the U.S. diversity visa lottery program, which allowed the suspect in recent shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to enter the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X that she ordered the pause at Trump’s direction.
“This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” she wrote, referring to Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente.
Neves Valente, 48, is suspected of killing two students and wounding nine others in a shooting at Brown University, as well as murdering an MIT physics professor. He was found dead Thursday evening from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said.
According to a police affidavit, Neves Valente came to the United States on a student visa in 2000 to study at Brown. He took a leave of absence in 2001. It is unclear where he was living between then and 2017, when he was issued a diversity immigrant visa and later granted legal permanent residence.
The diversity visa lottery, created by Congress, makes up to 50,000 green cards available annually to people from countries with low U.S. immigration rates. Many recipients are from African nations. The program includes strict vetting, interviews at consulates and security checks.
Nearly 20 million people applied for the 2025 lottery, with more than 131,000 selected, including spouses. Portuguese citizens received just 38 slots.
In the past year, 153 Israelis were selected in the lottery, according to the U.S. State Department. It is unclear whether Trump’s suspension halts only new applications or also affects ongoing cases.
Trump has long criticized the program. Earlier this year, he launched the “Golden Card” initiative, offering fast-track residency to individuals willing to pay at least $1 million. Applicants pay a non-refundable $15,000 fee to apply. If accepted, they receive permanent residency. A separate “Platinum Card,” priced at $5 million, allows residency in the U.S. for up to 270 days per year without paying taxes on foreign income.
Trump administration officials have said these programs are meant to prioritize immigrants who benefit the U.S. economy and generate revenue.
Immigration attorney Liam Schwartz said, “Last year, about 150 Israelis won green cards through the lottery. Reports suggest delays due to system changes that prioritize high-salary professions and may introduce a participation fee. A full suspension would certainly hurt Israelis hoping to pursue the American dream.”
Noem’s announcement is expected to face legal challenges, as the diversity visa program was established by law. Trump has also pressed ahead with broader efforts to restrict legal immigration and has challenged birthright citizenship, a constitutional guarantee. The Supreme Court recently agreed to hear that case.