December 19, 2025
The United States has paused the Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery program effective immediately, according to a late Thursday night announcement from the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the X platform, She did not specify how long the suspension will remain in place.
The announcement followed renewed scrutiny of the program after authorities said the alleged shooter in a recent incident at Brown University, identified as Claudio Manuel Neves Valente—a Brazilian native who entered the United States through the DV-1 visa category in 2017. Officials have not released further details about how long the pause would be and how it could affect current applicants.
The Diversity Visa Lottery, commonly known as the green card lottery, allows applicants from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States to apply for permanent residency through a randomized selection process.
This is a developing story.
