In a surprising shift from his typically hardline stance on immigration, former President Donald Trump has expressed a willingness to grant green cards automatically to foreign graduates from US colleges. Trump made this proposal during a podcast released on Thursday, as reported by AFP. This move contrasts with President Joe Biden’s recent initiatives, including offering a path to citizenship for immigrants married to US citizens, despite Biden’s efforts to tighten controls on illegal border crossings.
Trump’s proposal involves awarding green cards, which are permanent resident cards in the United States and a step toward citizenship, to anyone who graduates from a US college, including those completing two-year programs at junior colleges and doctoral graduates. When asked on the podcast if he would work to attract top talent from around the world, Trump responded, “I do promise,” adding, “I know of stories where people graduated from a top college, or from a college, and they desperately want to stay here… and they can’t.” He further elaborated, “They go back to India, they go back to China. They do the same basic company in those places and they become multi billionaires employing thousands and thousands of people.”
Trump argued that US companies require “smart people” and are hindered by the inability to hire skilled foreign workers due to immigration restrictions. “They can’t even make a deal with a company because they don’t think they’re going to be able to stay in the country,” he said. “That is going to end on day one,” he added, referencing a potential return to office.
Trump’s proposal stands in stark contrast to his immigration policies during his 2017-2021 presidency, which included the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border and a travel ban targeting citizens from predominantly Muslim countries. President Biden, meanwhile, has eased visa regulations for the spouses of US citizens, simplifying their path to citizenship. He has also streamlined procedures for “Dreamers,” undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, enabling them to obtain work visas with college degrees and high-skilled job offers. These measures, however, are contrasted by Biden’s recent executive order, which has been criticized by Republicans for restricting asylum claims from migrants entering the US illegally during periods of high influx exceeding 2,500 daily arrivals.
