US Suspends “Green Card Lottery” (Diversity Visa) Indefinitely Following Brown University & MIT Shootings

In a historic national security move, the Trump Administration has suspended the Diversity Visa (Green Card Lottery) after the Brown University shooting suspect was linked to the program. Read the full 900-word analysis on what this means for DV-2026 and future applicants.

In a move that fundamentally alters the immigration landscape of the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has officially announced the immediate suspension of the Diversity Visa (DV) Program, commonly known across the world as the “Green Card Lottery.”

This executive decision, finalized late on December 19, 2025, comes in the wake of a tragic week of violence in the American northeast. Following the deadly shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), federal investigators confirmed a direct link between the suspect and the visa lottery system.

For millions of hopefuls in Africa, South Asia, and Europe who view the Diversity Visa as their only path to the American Dream, this news is devastating. The program, which has issued up to 55,000 Green Cards annually since 1990, is now effectively frozen, pending a “comprehensive national security review.”

The Trigger Event: The Brown University & MIT Tragedy

To understand why the government took such drastic action so quickly, one must look at the severity of the incident that triggered it.

On December 16, 2025, a gunman opened fire at two of America’s most prestigious institutions. The attacks resulted in the deaths of two graduate students at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and a professor at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The suspect, identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national, was apprehended after a multi-state manhunt.

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The Visa Connection:

While Valente first entered the US on a student visa in 2000, his permanent status was the key focus of the investigation.

• DHS Confirmation: In a press briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Valente obtained his Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status specifically through the Diversity Visa Lottery in 2017.
• The Argument: The administration argues that because the lottery selects winners randomly from a pool of millions, the vetting process is inherently “reactive” rather than “proactive,” allowing individuals with potential red flags to slip through if they have no prior criminal record in their home country.

Secretary Noem stated: “We cannot allow a system based on random luck to dictate who enters our country permanently. The tragic events at Brown and MIT prove that the Diversity Visa program is a national security vulnerability that we can no longer afford to ignore.”

Immediate Impact on DV-2026 and DV-2027 Applicants

The suspension order is immediate and sweeping. It is not just a proposal; it is an active halt on processing.

1. For DV-2026 Selectees (Winners):

If you were selected in the most recent lottery and are currently waiting for your interview, your process is in grave danger.

• Consular Interviews: US Embassies and Consulates have been instructed to pause the issuance of visas under the DV category. If you have an interview scheduled for January 2026, you should check your status on the CEAC Visa Status Check portal immediately.
• Adjustment of Status: For those already inside the US trying to adjust status based on a DV win, USCIS has been directed to hold final adjudication on these cases.

2. For Future Applicants (DV-2027):

The entry period for DV-2027 usually opens in October. Given the language of the suspension (“indefinite pause pending review”), it is highly unlikely that the program will open for new entries in late 2026 unless Congress intervenes or the order is blocked by federal courts.

The Political Context: The End of “Chain Migration”?

This move is consistent with the long-standing goals of the Trump Administration and the Republican party to move the US towards a “Merit-Based” immigration system.

For years, critics have attacked the Diversity Visa program and “Chain Migration” (Family-Based Sponsorship). They argue that the US should only admit individuals based on:

• High Skills: Scientists, Engineers, Doctors (like the H-1B or O-1 visas).
• Economic Contribution: Investors (EB-5).
• Job Offers: Those with guaranteed employment.

The Diversity Visa, which requires only a high school education or two years of work experience, is seen by the current administration as “outdated.” This suspension might be the first step in permanently abolishing the program, a goal that was previously attempted after the 2017 New York City truck attack, where the attacker (Sayfullo Saipov) had also entered via the DV Lottery.

What Are the Alternatives?

With the “Lottery” door closing, applicants must look at merit-based routes. However, as we reported earlier this week, those routes are also becoming stricter.

• H-1B Visa: While open, it now faces a potential $100,000 fee for overseas hires, making it harder for entry-level workers.
• Student Visa (F-1): Still a viable option, but with new “Fixed Term” limits replacing “Duration of Status.”
• European Options: For those discouraged by the US shutdown, Europe remains the best alternative. The Germany Opportunity Card allows job seekers to enter without a job offer, and the new Romania Work Visa quota of 100,000 provides a pathway for unskilled labor.

Summary of the Suspension Order