President Donald Trump has suspended the US green card lottery scheme in the wake of a mass shooting at Brown University last week in which two people were killed.
The suspect, a Portuguese man who was found dead on Thursday, entered the country through the diversity lottery immigrant visa programme (DV1) in 2017 and was granted a green card.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she has paused the visa scheme under Trump's direction to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous programme.
US officials stated they believe the suspect, 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente, also killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno Loureiro earlier this week.
The programme makes up to 50,000 visas available each year through a random selection process among entries from countries with low rates of immigration to the US.
Writing on social media, Noem remarked that Trump had previously fought to end the scheme in 2017 following a tragic attack in New York City.
Valente's connection to both murder incidents has raised alarms about the implications of the green card lottery on national security and has sparked a renewed debate on US immigration policies.
Police conducted an extensive multi-state manhunt that ultimately led to his discovery dead in a storage facility, with evidence tying him to the incidents.
The victims of the Brown University shooting have been identified, further deepening the tragedy as communities mourn the loss.
