(PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND) President Trump has ordered an indefinite suspension of the U.S. green card lottery after investigators said the man accused of killing two students at Brown University and later shooting an MIT professor had become a permanent resident through the program. The move immediately freezes a long-running path to immigration for people from countries with low rates of migration to the United States 🇺🇸.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the pause, saying Trump directed her department to stop the Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery while federal and state authorities review the case of Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown graduate student from about 25 years ago. Noem said Valente obtained lawful permanent residency after being selected in the DV program, which by law can issue up to 50,000 green cards a year.
Timeline of the shootings and manhunt
The shooting at Brown unfolded during an economics review session in Room 166 of the School of Engineering at about 4:00 p.m. EST on Dec. 13, 2025, authorities said.
- Police identified the dead as Ella Cook, 19, and MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18.
- Nine other people were wounded.
Two days later, on Dec. 15, Valente allegedly tracked down MIT physics professor Nuno Gomes Loureiro outside the professor’s home in Brookline, Massachusetts, and fatally shot him.
The manhunt ended with Valente’s death by suicide; he was found in a New Hampshire storage unit on Dec. 18, officials said. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley and federal partners announced the development on Dec. 19, closing a frantic week that shook two campuses and raised new questions about how the United States screens and tracks immigrants after they are admitted.
Key takeaway: The administration paused the DV Lottery while authorities review how an alleged mass shooter obtained permanent residency through the program, prompting renewed debate about screening, tracking, and the role of random selection in U.S. immigration.
What the Diversity Visa program is and how it works
The Diversity Visa system was created by Congress to broaden the mix of countries represented among new immigrants. It has long been defended by supporters as a rare option for applicants who do not have a close family sponsor or an employer willing to file a petition.
Important features and steps in the DV process:
– Entry: Applicants usually enter online at no charge.
– Selection: Winners are selected randomly.
– Qualification: Winners still must qualify under existing U.S. immigration rules.
– Security checks: Selected individuals must pass security checks.
– Consular interview: Winners attend a consular interview before getting an immigrant visa.
– Adjustment of status: If already in the U.S., winners may apply to adjust status to a green card.
The program is run by the State Department. Applicants wait months for results and case numbers that control interview scheduling abroad.
Effect of the suspension
Noem did not give an end date for the suspension, and the administration has not said whether it plans to ask Congress to repeal or rewrite the statute that authorizes the lottery.
- The fiscal year 2025 DV program already ended on Sept. 30, 2025 as a legal matter.
- The suspension changes: any remaining processing linked to that cycle, and any future entries for the next round, are on hold.
For families who were hoping the lottery could be their one chance, the abrupt stop is particularly harmful because the DV process runs on strict deadlines and narrow windows.
Lawyers note:
– People selected for a given year normally must finish immigrant visa steps before the fiscal-year cutoff, or they lose the slot, even if delays are not their fault.
– Practitioners who help selectees are now telling clients that even starting the process may not be possible.
Broader immigration context and related actions
The administration’s move ties the Brown University shooting to a broader set of immigration restrictions rolled out this month.
- In December 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation expanding a travel ban to 39 countries, up from 19.
- The proclamation also suspended some immigrant visas and selected nonimmigrant visas for several nations, including Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Sudan, Syria, and Tonga.
The proclamation cites concerns such as:
– Visa overstay rates
– Gaps in screening and information sharing
As an example, the proclamation lists Cote d’Ivoire’s:
– B-1/B-2 overstay rate: 8.47%
– F/M/J overstay rate: 19.09%
Immigration advocates’ view:
– Broad bans and program suspensions can punish millions of people who have no link to violence.
– Such measures may do little to address warning signs that appear inside the United States, like threats, access to weapons, or missed opportunities for intervention.
Missing details and political debate
Officials did not release details about how Valente entered the lottery, when he was selected, or where he lived after gaining permanent residence.
Still, by pointing to the DV route, the administration is reviving a long-running political argument about whether random selection belongs in an immigration system that also relies on family ties, employment sponsorship, and humanitarian protections.
Practical impacts and advice for affected people
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the suspension is likely to create immediate confusion for:
– Selectees abroad who are waiting for interview appointments.
– U.S. employers planning to recruit workers whose spouses were seeking DV immigrant visas.
Because consular posts can only issue diversity visas when the program is open and fiscal-year numbers are current, even a temporary stop can ripple through:
– Household plans
– Leases
– School calendars
– Job offers
People preparing to apply for the next Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery season described the announcement as a door slamming without warning, especially applicants from countries newly swept into the expanded travel ban. Many of those nations are not traditional high-volume sources of U.S. immigration, which is why their citizens have historically been eligible for the lottery.
Legal and practical guidance:
1. Save confirmation pages and any case documentation.
2. Watch for official guidance on whether cases will be rescheduled.
3. Consult an immigration attorney for case-specific advice.
Official resources
The State Department emphasizes that DV selection is only a first step and applicants must still meet all eligibility rules. Updates are posted on the official page:
With the suspension in place, lawyers urged applicants to preserve documentation and stay alert for further guidance, even as communities in Providence and greater Boston mourn the victims of the Brown University shooting and the killing of the MIT professor.
The Trump administration has indefinitely suspended the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery program. This decision follows a security probe into Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a former lottery winner accused of fatal shootings at Brown University and MIT. The pause affects current processing and future entries, as officials review screening protocols. Critics argue the move unfairly impacts millions, while the government emphasizes the need for enhanced security and vetting.
