Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem paused the Diversity Visa Program, arguing that it contributed to the Brown University shooting suspect’s entry into the United States.
“The Brown University shooter, Claudio Manuel Neves Valente entered the United States through the diversity lottery immigrant visa program (DV1) in 2017 and was granted a green card. This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Noem wrote on X. “In 2017, President Trump fought to end this program, following the devastating NYC truck ramming by an ISIS terrorist, who entered under the DV1 program, and murdered eight people.”
“At President Trump’s direction, I am immediately directing USCIS to pause the DV1 program to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program,” she wrote.
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available each year, and is pulled from “random selection among all entries to individuals who are from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States,” the USCIS website explains.
According to CBS News, Valente was admitted into the nation years before the shooting event to attend graduate school at Brown University. He then took a leave of absence in 2001 and withdrew two years later.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration launched the “Gold Card” designed to accelerate the U.S. visa process. The card’s website explains that for a $15,000 DHS processing fee, a background approval, and a $1 million payment, one can “receive U.S. residency in record time.” The site also advertised the Trump Platinum Card as a soon-to-come opportunity.
