The man identified as the suspected shooter at Brown University was 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, a Portugal-born immigrant admitted via the Diversity Visa Lottery in 2017. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced a pause of the program soon after. Providence — where more than 30% of residents are foreign-born and many businesses and public servants are immigrants — needs care and unity, not scapegoating. The piece argues that blaming immigrants would deepen the city’s wounds and harm both Brown University and the wider community.
Don't Blame Immigrants For The Brown Shootings — Providence Needs Healing, Not Scapegoats
Using the Brown shootings to demonize immigrants won’t help Providence heal
The discovery that authorities had found the man suspected of killing two Brown University students, wounding nine others and terrorizing Providence brought a measure of relief that the immediate nightmare was over. But the suspect’s foreign birth quickly prompted new fears that political leaders and right-wing media would use the tragedy to stoke nativism and xenophobia.
What We Know
Officials identified the deceased suspect as 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, who was born in Portugal and briefly studied physics at Brown decades earlier. He entered the United States in 2017 through the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Lottery program. Within hours of the identification, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced — at the president’s direction — an immediate pause of that visa program.
Why Scapegoating Hurts
Providence will need sustained care and support in the months ahead. What it does not need is a rush to scapegoat immigrants. More restrictive immigration policies or inflammatory rhetoric will not help the city heal; they risk deepening community wounds and undermining the many positive contributions immigrants make here.
Facts That Matter
According to recent census figures, more than 30% of Providence’s residents are foreign-born, and a 2020 city report found that more than 47% of residents speak a language other than English at home. Those numbers reflect a long tradition of cultural and economic contribution, from small businesses and restaurants to public servants and educators.
“Using our tragedy to demonize immigrants doesn’t help us heal. It deepens our wounds.”
Local Faces Of Immigrant Contribution
A full account of the Brown tragedy also highlights immigrant stories of loss, leadership and generosity. One of the slain students, Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, was from Uzbekistan and remembered by classmates as bright, curious and altruistic. Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez — who helped steer the investigation that located the suspect — was born in Medellín, Colombia.
Local immigrant-owned businesses stepped forward immediately, providing food, shelter and support. For example, the Indian-born owner of Kabob and Curry distributed more than 100 meals to community members in the shooting’s aftermath.
Why Policy Matters Here
Brown University — like many American universities — relies on students, faculty and staff from around the world. A 2023 university press release noted that 44% of new graduate students are international. Policies that restrict immigration or create fear among foreign students and staff will harm both the university and the broader Providence community.
Providence Is A Tapestry
Walk away from Barus & Holley — the physics and engineering building where the shooting occurred — and you’ll soon find restaurants and shops that reflect global cultures: Aleppo Sweets, Caliente Mexican Grill, Al-Shami, Sakura, Lotus Pepper and many more. Elected officials and civic figures in Rhode Island also reflect immigrant roots, from Rep. Gabe Amo to the late Judge Frank Caprio and councilwoman Carmen Castillo.
Conclusion
Facts matter: yes, the suspect was foreign-born; yes, his actions were horrific and deserve full legal and moral condemnation. But turning a single perpetrator into a rationale for broad anti-immigrant policies is both dishonest and destructive. Providence needs compassion, resources and truthful reporting — not xenophobic rhetoric. If anyone asks, tell them this: using our tragedy to demonize immigrants will not help us heal. It will only make our recovery harder.
