Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed in an interview published on Thursday (June 20) that he hopes to issue green cards to foreign graduates of American universities, a proposal that has caught many by surprise and suggests a potential easing of U.S. immigration policies.
As a presidential candidate for the Republican Party, Donald Trump participated in the renowned Silicon Valley podcast show “All-In” on Wednesday. Angel investor Jason Calacanis pointed out the importance of legally retaining more high-tech talents in the United States, especially for the technology industry.
Trump responded, “What I want to do, and what I intend to do, is if you graduate from a college in the United States, I think you should automatically get a green card as part of your diploma to stay in this country.”
“This also includes junior colleges, and anyone graduating from a college,” Trump promised to address this issue immediately upon taking office.
A green card, also known as a permanent resident card, allows the holder to permanently reside and work in the U.S., a step towards attaining citizenship. Offering green cards to foreign graduates may indicate a significant relaxation of the U.S. immigration system.
In the past, Trump often mentioned at rallies that illegal immigrants could pose a threat to public safety, take away American job opportunities, and government resources. He vowed that if elected, he would implement the largest deportation action in U.S. history.
Although Trump and his allies have stated they would distinguish between illegal and legal immigrants, during his previous term, Trump also proposed restrictions on legal immigration. Shortly after taking office in 2017, he issued an executive order of “Buy American, Hire American” to ensure that business visas were only granted to the highest-earning or skilled applicants to protect American workers. The Trump administration also restricted U.S. companies from using H-1B visas, a key visa option for international students to stay in the U.S.
This week’s latest statement may imply that Trump will further adjust immigration policies.
During the conversation on the “All-In” program, Trump mentioned that he had considered issuing green cards but was unable to implement it due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump stated that he was aware of individuals who graduated from top universities and wanted to stay in the U.S. but could not obtain visas, forcing them to return to their home countries. He mentioned that these individuals later became millionaires and employed thousands of workers.
“You need a group of people to work for your company,” Trump said. “They have to be smart… You need talented people.”
Hours after the podcast was released, the campaign team’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement saying, “President Trump has also proposed the strictest vetting process in U.S. history to exclude all communists, Islamic extremists, Hamas supporters, America-haters, and those reliant on welfare.”
“He believes that only after such vetting should we retain those graduates who can make significant contributions to America, the most skilled graduates. This applies only to extensively vetted university graduates who will never depress American wages or weaken the interests of American workers,” she added.