By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that, if re elected, he would automatically grant green cards to foreign graduates of American colleges. This proposal represents a significant shift for Trump, who is known for his stringent immigration policies.
In a podcast interview with prominent Silicon Valley tech investors on Thursday, Trump expressed his commitment to easing the process for talented individuals to stay in the United States. He asserted that graduates from U.S. colleges, including junior colleges, should receive a green card upon graduation. “It’s disheartening to see talent from top institutions like Harvard and MIT, as well as other excellent schools, leaving the country,” Trump remarked during his appearance on the All In Podcast, hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg.
A green card provides individuals the right to live and work permanently in the U.S. and offers a pathway to citizenship. Trump's proposal could result in hundreds of thousands of new citizenship applicants annually, marking a stark contrast to the hardline immigration stance that characterized his political ascent.
Despite his previous inflammatory comments about migrants and promises of large scale deportations, Trump now advocates for retaining skilled graduates in the U.S. He criticized President Joe Biden's recent policy allowing undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residency without leaving the country. At a campaign event in Wisconsin, Trump condemned this approach, arguing for stronger measures to address what he called an "invasion" of the country.
Currently, an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants reside in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security. While Trump has focused on undocumented immigration, his administration also significantly reduced legal immigration. According to the Cato Institute, the Trump administration decreased the number of green cards and immigrant visas by 418,453 and 11,178,668, respectively, largely due to COVID 19 restrictions.
Trump noted that the pandemic disrupted his earlier plans to grant green cards to foreign graduates. He shared anecdotes of graduates who, unable to stay in the U.S., returned to their home countries and built successful companies there. “These individuals had plans to start businesses here but were forced to leave. They went back to India, China, and other countries, creating billion dollar enterprises that could have thrived in the U.S.,” he explained during the podcast.