As immigrants to the U.S. know all too well, the criminal actions of a few people can affect how all immigrants are viewed and treated, even though the vast majority are law-abiding people. Now, the federal government seems to be taking a big step based on the alleged crimes of one man.
The man who is alleged to have carried out the recent shootings (killing two students) at Brown University and the subsequent murder of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor was found to be in this country on a green card obtained through the Diversity Visa or DV1 Program.
How does the program work?
The program was designed to help encourage people from countries with low levels of immigration into the U.S. to move here. Most recent DV1 immigrants are from Africa, Asia and Europe. The man in this case was from Portugal. He reportedly obtained his DV1 visa and green card in 2017.
Those who qualify are placed in a lottery, from which they’re selected, must have a high school education or the equivalent or “two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform.” They must already be living in the country legally to apply for this change in their status.
What is happening with the program?
Within hours after the man was found dead and identified as the shooter in both cases, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced on social media that the current administration had directed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to “ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program.” The following day, the State Department, which administers the DV1 lottery, said that the program was “indefinitely paused…until we can be sure we know exactly who we are letting into our country.”
The administration has sought to end the Diversity Visa Program for some time. However, this was the catalyst to put at least a temporary stop to it.
There’s a lot of talk (and no small amount of changes) from those in charge of the federal government these days. Whatever your questions, concerns, plans or goals, it’s wise to start by getting experienced legal guidance.