Officials say the decision follows scrutiny over how the suspect entered the U.S.; investigation remains ongoing.
President Donald Trump suspended the Diversity Visa Lottery program after reports linked a campus shooting suspect to the program. Officials said the individual, a Portuguese national, obtained permanent residency in 2017 after initially entering the U.S. on a student visa. The case remains under investigation.
President Donald Trump has suspended the Diversity Visa Lottery program, also known as the green card lottery, according to administration officials. The move follows reports that a suspect in a campus shooting case entered the United States through the program.
Officials said the suspect is alleged to have been involved in a shooting at Brown University and in the killing of an MIT professor. Authorities emphasized that the individual is a suspect and that the investigation is ongoing.
According to officials familiar with the case, the suspect—identified as Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente—initially arrived in the United States on a student visa and later obtained permanent residency in 2017 through the Diversity Visa Lottery program.
The White House said the suspension reflects concerns about vetting and national security, and that a broader review of immigration pathways is underway. Details about the scope and duration of the suspension have not been publicly released.
The Diversity Visa Lottery program has historically granted up to 55,000 visas annually to applicants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Supporters argue it promotes diversity, while critics say it requires stricter screening.
Administration officials said further information will be released as the investigation and policy review continue. Legal experts note that any permanent changes to the program could require congressional action.
