US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced an important decision that has sparked widespread discussions in the country. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
She stated on her social media page that official instructions have been issued to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services to temporarily suspend the DV1 visa program. This visa program annually provided winners of the Green Card lottery the opportunity to legally immigrate to the United States.
According to information, approximately 50,000 foreign nationals gain the right to move to the US each year through the DV1 program. To participate in the lottery, applicants are required to have at least a secondary education or two years of work experience.
This system is considered one of the most open and transparent ways for citizens of many countries to enter the US. Kristi Noem emphasized in her statement that security-related factors were the reason for this decision.
According to her, a Portuguese citizen who came to the US through the DV1 visa in 2017 is suspected in a crime related to the deaths of two Brown University students. It was also noted that Uzbek citizen Muhammadaziz Umurzoqov died during this incident.
Additionally, the Secretary recalled that Sayfullo Saipov, who carried out a terrorist attack in New York in 2017 that claimed eight lives, also came to the US through this program. Former US President Donald Trump was among the politicians opposed to this program.
In his view, such open immigration programs could pose a threat to national security. However, supporters of the program do not agree with this opinion.
They emphasize that the DV1 visa positively impacts the US economy and serves to enhance its international reputation. It has been stated that this decision is temporary.
However, this decision has sparked new debates on immigration policy and raised many questions about the future of the Green Card lottery.
