White House Faces New Pressure After Brown University Attack
A former U.S. immigration official warns that the Trump administration may move to end the Green Card program after several violent incidents linked to immigrants. His warning follows the Brown University shooting, where the suspect’s immigration path sparked strong political reaction. The administration has already paused the Green Card lottery, a program separate from the wider Green Card system. Critics say the government continues to respond to individual cases with broad and immediate policy changes.
Former USCIS Chief: Crackdowns Now Follow Single Incidents
Ricky Murray, who served as chief of staff for Refugee and International Operations at USCIS until November, told Newsweek that the administration often uses one criminal case to justify sweeping immigration restrictions. He said officials may want to end “various green card programs,” but Congress would need to approve such a major shift. Murray pointed to a recent example where the government halted all immigration applications from Afghanistan and several other countries after an Afghan national was linked to a Washington, D.C. massacre.
Shooter’s Background Fuels Renewed Immigration Debate
Authorities identified Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese citizen and former Brown University student, as the suspect in the December 13 shooting. Police say he killed students Ella Cook, 19, and Mukhammad Aziz Umurzoko, 18, and injured nine others. Investigators also believe he murdered MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro two days later. Valente later died by suicide in New Hampshire. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Valente entered the U.S. through the Diversity Visa program in 2017 and then received a Green Card. She added, “This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country.”
Experts Say Broad Restrictions Hurt Legitimate Applicants
Murray said the administration’s response unfairly targets entire immigrant groups. He explained that U.S. immigration policy traditionally focuses on individual merit and detailed background checks. He believes the current approach groups all applicants together and removes the case-by-case evaluation that once guided the system. The Diversity Visa program issues up to 55,000 visas each year to people from countries with low immigration rates. Applicants must meet strict educational, work, and security requirements, which Murray says already ensure strong screening.
