• Trump suspends the green card lottery program tied to the suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings.
• Secretary Noem claimed the lottery allowed the shooter to enter the US, stressing public safety.
• Legal challenges against the suspension are anticipated due to the program's legislative foundation.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced the suspension of the green card lottery program, which was linked to the suspect in the recent Brown University and MIT shootings. This decision was made to address safety concerns after it was revealed that the shooter, Portuguese national Claudio Neves Valente, had entered the United States through this program, according to SCMP.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, acting under Trump's directive, stated on social media that, "This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country." Valente is suspected of killing two students and wounding others during a shooting at Brown University, as well as murdering an MIT professor, according to India Times and BBC.

Valente had obtained a diversity immigrant visa in 2017, which allowed him permanent resident status shortly thereafter. The diversity visa program allocates 50,000 green cards annually to individuals from underrepresented countries, including many from Africa. With nearly 20 million applicants, this year’s lottery saw Portuguese citizens winning only 38 slots, as reported by NPR and SCMP.

The suspension of the lottery has raised concerns about potential legal challenges, as the program was established by Congress. Trump's discontinued support for this program reflects a broader trend within his administration to tighten immigration rules, often citing safety as a rationale. Notably, previous violent incidents have similarly influenced immigration policy shifts, according to India Times and BBC.