The United States has abruptly suspended its Green Card lottery program following a deadly shooting at an American university, a decision that reverberates all the way to Nairobi. The move jeopardizes the ambitions of thousands of Kenyans who annually vie for a chance at permanent residency in the U.S.

This policy shift, triggered by a violent act thousands of kilometers away, directly dismantles a key pathway for Kenyans seeking educational and economic opportunities abroad. For many, the annual Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is not just a form; it is a tangible hope for upward mobility and a chance to build a future for their families.

Security Fears Derail a Global Program

The suspension was announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who noted the action was taken at President Donald Trump's direction. The decision followed revelations that the suspect in a mass shooting at Brown University, 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente, had entered the U.S. through the visa lottery in 2017. Valente, a Portuguese national, is accused of killing two students and wounding nine others before also murdering a professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country," Noem stated on social media, adding that the pause was necessary "to ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program." The program makes up to 50,000 visas available each year to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the US.

A Cherished Opportunity Now Lost

The impact of this suspension is particularly acute in Kenya, which has consistently ranked among the top beneficiaries of the program. Consider the numbers:

• In the DV-2025 program, 4,459 Kenyans were selected, placing the country sixth globally and fourth in Africa.
• For the DV-2024 lottery, 3,706 Kenyans were among the winners.
• Historically, Kenya has seen between 3,000 to over 4,500 of its citizens win the lottery annually, making it a significant channel for legal immigration.

This is not the first time the program has faced political fire. President Trump previously sought to end the scheme in 2017 after an attack in New York City was carried out by an immigrant who also entered the U.S. through the lottery. Critics have long argued the system prioritizes luck over merit and poses security risks.

For the thousands of Kenyans who had already been selected or were preparing their applications for the next cycle, the future is now deeply uncertain. With the program's operations frozen indefinitely, the aspirations of countless families for a new life in America now hang precariously in the balance.