US Halts Green Card Lottery After Brown University Shooting
Following a deadly Brown University shooting and the linked MIT professor murder, U.S. authorities suspend the diversity visa lottery to review immigration safety and screening measures.
The United States has paused the diversity visa lottery after a deadly shooting at Brown University and the linked killing of an MIT professor. The move, announced amid a broad security review, centers on how immigrant visas are screened and issued in the wake of the case. Authorities identified the suspect as Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, who died during the investigation.
What happened at Brown University
On December 13, a gunman entered Brown University’s engineering building during final exams, killing two students and injuring nine others. The victims were Ella Cook, 19, from Alabama, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, 18, an Uzbek-American who had just begun his studies at Brown.
Link to the MIT professor’s death
Earlier in the week, investigators say Valente shot and killed MIT professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Providence. Both men reportedly studied at the same university in Portugal in the late 1990s, which helped authorities connect the two cases.
The manhunt and discovery
Police say video footage and tips from the public led investigators to a car rental location, where they tied the suspect to the crimes after a six-day, multi-state manhunt. Valente was later found dead in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A satchel and two firearms found nearby were linked to the Brown shooting and the MIT case, according to state prosecutors.
About the Diversity Visa program
The Diversity Immigrant Visa program, commonly known as the DV lottery, offers up to 50,000 visas each year through a random draw. It is designed for applicants from countries with low U.S. immigration rates to diversify the immigrant population.
Official response
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the DV lottery has been paused to safeguard the public as investigators review security measures. The administration has long cited the program as a political flashpoint, noting concerns about how visas are issued.
Expert perspective
"The pause signals a renewed focus on the integrity of visa screening and how such programs are implemented in practice," said a security analyst. "It also highlights ongoing debates about balancing openness with public safety in immigration policy."
Short summary
In summary, U.S. authorities paused the diversity visa lottery after a sequence of linked deadly events tied to a single suspect. Investigators traced the cases through CCTV and public tips, culminating in the suspect’s death in New Hampshire. The future of the DV program remains under review as officials assess safety and screening procedures.
Key takeaway: A deadly spree linked to an immigration program has led to a government pause on the diversity visa lottery, underscoring security concerns in immigration policy. BBC News coverage
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