How a Mass Shooting Led to the End of the Green Card Lottery

The recent suspension of the U.S. green card lottery program stems from a series of tragic incidents linked to Claudio Neves Valente, a Portuguese national. Valente, who entered the United States through the diversity visa program in 2017, is accused of a mass shooting at Brown University, where he killed two students and injured nine others.

He is also suspected of fatally shooting an M.I.T. professor, Nuno F.G. Loureiro, with whom he had previously studied. The U.S. government, under pressure, has halted the program, which allows 55,000 visas annually to individuals from countries with low immigration rates.

Critics argue that the program has inadvertently facilitated violent acts, citing this incident as a significant catalyst for change. Valente's background reveals a complex connection with his victims, as he and Loureiro were classmates in Portugal.

Despite the sorrow surrounding these events, the discourse has ignited debates on immigration policies and public safety. Investigators continue to search for a motive, while misinformation during the manhunt complicated efforts to locate Valente, who ultimately took his own life.