Donald Trump has called for an end to the diversity visa lottery – better known as the green card lottery – in the wake of the terror attack in New York City which killed eight people.
“Today we mourn the horrifying terrorist attack in New York City, just blocks away from the site of the World Trade Centre,” Trump said on during a meeting with his cabinet.
“I am today starting the process of terminating the diversity lottery program. I’m going to ask Congress to immediately initiate work to get rid of this program.”
The New York Times alleges that the suspect in the attack, Uzbek immigrant Sayfullo Saipov, came to the United States on a green card back in 2010. Authorities have not officially confirmed this, though Trump is operating on the assumption that he did.
The terrorist came into our country through what is called the “Diversity Visa Lottery Program,” a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017
We are fighting hard for Merit Based immigration, no more Democrat Lottery Systems. We must get MUCH tougher (and smarter). @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017
The diversity visa lottery issues about 55,000 permanent resident cards each year, and usually receives around 14 million applicants. The purpose of the program is to service “under-represented countries,” and as a result some countries are excluded from the lottery each year. Many Australians apply for US permanent residency through the green card lottery.
Trump continued during his meeting with his cabinet:
It’s very simple. What we are demanding is merit-based immigration. We want people who are going to help our country, people who are going to keep our country safe. We don’t want lotteries where the wrong people are in the lotteries.
The green card lottery was established under the Immigration Act of 1990, and was signed into law by George H.W. Bush. Trump has a preferred immigration bill – called the Raise Act – which would abolish the lottery and allocate green cards on a merit-based points system. The Raise Act has been a non-starter, as many Republicans oppose it alongside the Democratic Party. Whether or not this will change after this attack leaves to be seen.
The fact of the matter remains that Trump cannot abolish the green card lottery at the stroke of a pen. To scrap it, he’ll need the support of Congress on either the Raise Act or another bill.
