Yesterday we learned failed suicide bomber Akayed Ullah came to the United States through the family chain migration system in 2011.
"DHS can confirm that the suspect was admitted to the United States after presenting a passport displaying an F43 family immigrant visa in 2011. The suspect is a Lawful Permanent Resident from Bangladesh who benefited from extended family chain migration," Homeland Security Press Secretary Tyler Houlton confirmed.
Now we know he not only came into the country on chain migration, he entered after a relative in Bangladesh was selected for immigration to the United States through the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. The program allows selected individuals to bring family members with them.
.@DHSgov can confirm that the suspect benefited from extended family chain migration. The chain was initiated by the suspect’s relative who became a U.S. Citizen after entering the country via a visa lottery program. (1/2)
— Tyler Q. Houlton (@SpoxDHS) December 11, 2017
The suspect is originally from Bangladesh and entered the U.S. in 2011 receiving a green card under the fourth family based preference. The Administration has advocated for ending both Chain Migration and the current Diversity Visa lottery program (2/2)
— Tyler Q. Houlton (@SpoxDHS) December 11, 2017
The visa lottery program is used to select people in high threat countries for immigration to the United States. Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, the Islamic terrorist who killed nearly a dozen people in New York City last month after running them over with a truck, came to the United States from Uzbekistan through the visa lottery program in 2010. After the attack, President Trump called on Congress and the Department of Justice to end the program.
I am calling on Congress to TERMINATE the diversity visa lottery program that presents significant vulnerabilities to our national security. pic.twitter.com/tW4wOlI4vu
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017
Congress must end chain migration so that we can have a system that is SECURITY BASED! We need to make AMERICA SAFE! #USA???? pic.twitter.com/d7L1YW5iVY
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017
During the White House briefing Monday afternoon, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders reiterated the president's policy stance.
"The president’s policy has called for an end to chain migration, and if that had been in place that would have prevented this individual from coming to the United States. So the president is aggressively gonna continue to push forth responsible immigration reform, and ending chain migration would certainly be a part of that process,” Sanders said. "We know that the president’s policy calls for an end to chain migration, which is what this individual came to the United States through, and if his policy had been in place, then that attacker would not have been allowed to come in the country.”