Trump Pushes for Rigorous Vetting Amid Concerns Over New Program

President Trump’s proposed $5 million “Gold Card” visa program promises economic benefits but faces scrutiny over vetting procedures to keep America secure while reducing national debt.

Key Takeaways

Trump has proposed a $5 million “Gold Card” visa program to replace the current EB-5 investor visa, potentially generating $5 trillion to pay down national debt.
President admits he is worried about “unsavory” individuals using the program.
The program would offer enhanced green card privileges and a path to US citizenship for wealthy immigrants who can afford the high price tag.
Trump emphasized strict vetting procedures would be implemented, with provisions for refunds and deportation if “unsavory” individuals are discovered.
The proposal requires Congressional approval and has not yet been officially launched despite claims of high interest.
Critics argue the program favors wealthy immigrants over skilled workers and may be uncompetitive compared to other countries’ investor visa programs.

Balancing National Security with Economic Growth

President Donald Trump has unveiled plans for a “Gold Card” visa program that would charge wealthy immigrants $5 million for a path to US citizenship. The proposed program would replace the existing EB-5 immigrant investor visa program, which currently requires investments of $800,000 to $1 million and the creation of at least 10 jobs. Trump’s proposal seeks to sell approximately one million of these high-priced visas, potentially generating $5 trillion that could be used to address the national debt.

During an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Ingraham Angle,” Trump addressed concerns about potential security risks associated with the program, admitting he is “worried” about “unsavory” applicants. He emphasized that comprehensive vetting procedures would be implemented to ensure that only desirable immigrants would be admitted through this pathway. The president described the initiative as aligned with his “America First” policy, suggesting that the high price point justifies offering citizenship to these wealthy individuals.

Strict Vetting and Refund Policies

A significant feature of Trump’s Gold Card proposal is the inclusion of a money-back provision for cases where admitted individuals later prove to be problematic. “They’re going to be properly vetted. But, when you’re talking about a lot of people — I think it’s going to be very successful. If somebody’s wrong, we actually are very nice, because it makes it a lot easier, legally, we give them their money back, and we send them out,” Trump stated in the interview.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been critical of the existing EB-5 program, describing it as “full of nonsense, make-believe and fraud.” This criticism helps justify the administration’s desire to replace the current system with the more expensive Gold Card alternative. However, legal challenges may arise if the Trump administration attempts to end the EB-5 program, as it was created by Congress and would likely require legislative action to modify or replace it.

Branding and Implementation Challenges

Trump has suggested rebranding the initiative as the “Trump Card” rather than the Gold Card, claiming it would have greater market appeal. “I will tell you what my people want to call it. It’ll drive you crazy. It’ll drive the left crazy. They want to call it the Trump card, because the Trump card sells much better than the gold card,” Trump explained. He has described the visa as a “green card plus,” implying it would offer more benefits than standard permanent residency.

The proposal has faced criticism from various quarters. Critics argue that it caters exclusively to wealthy immigrants rather than focusing on skilled workers who could contribute to the American economy. Congressman Ro Khanna has advocated instead for a merit-based immigration approach and H-1B visa reform.

Some immigration experts, like Ashok Kumar Adusumilli, have noted that the $5 million requirement may be uncompetitive compared to other countries’ investor visa programs. Despite claims from the Commerce Secretary about 250,000 potential applicants, applications are not yet available, and the program would require Congressional approval before implementation.