World Immigration News

U.S. halts green card lottery after MIT professor and Brown University killings

Release Date: 2025-12-20
Media: Japan Times
Summary: The Trump administration is moving to restrict the U.S. diversity visa (DV lottery) program after the suspect in a shooting at Brown University was found to have obtained permanent residency through the program. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that processing of diversity visa applications would be paused, citing concerns about public safety, although no specific evidence was presented that the suspect posed a security risk at the time of admission.

The administration has framed the move as a national security measure, but critics argue it is part of a broader effort to reduce legal immigration and to target migrants from countries deemed undesirable. Immigration advocates say isolated criminal cases are being used as a pretext to justify sweeping restrictions.

The diversity visa program, created in 1990, grants up to 55,000 immigrant visas annually to applicants from countries with low levels of immigration to the U.S. Trump has long opposed the program and previously called for its abolition following a separate attack during his first term.

Officials noted that most DV applicants apply from abroad, making the immediate impact of the pause unclear. The suspect in the Brown University case was a Portuguese national, despite the fact that Portuguese nationals make up only a very small share of DV recipients. Meanwhile, registration for the 2027 fiscal year DV program had already been delayed prior to the incident, adding further uncertainty to the program’s future.
Tags: United States of America

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