President Donald Trump recently appeared to hint that his administration could rename the Gold Card immigration status after himself. The move was revealed during Trump’s recent interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
“The EB-5 visas, you have spoken about them in the fraud and abuse of that process over years,” Ingraham said during the interview. “They’re basically Immigrant Investment Visas.”
Ingraham added that an individual could “get a fast track to a green card” for just $8,000 without speaking English or having a special skill. “It’s very popular. It’s a big, long line of people waiting to get these,” she further said.
Trump interjected and said at this point that he has one that is “much more popular.” Ingraham said that “the Golden Visa, which you also, you’re obviously backing” will have to go through Congress before it takes effect. The news anchor then asked the president that if he was “America first” like he has always claimed, why is he offering American citizenship for purchase?
‘They want to call it the Trump card’
“That’s why because I’m America first,” Trump responded. He also said that for the price tag of $5,000,000, “you’re getting a lot of things.”
Trump added, “Let’s say we sell a million of them. That’s $5 trillion. We are now an unbelievably successful country.”
Trump said that the money would be used to pay off the country’s debt to China and other countries. “It’s all going to pay down debt. We’re going to have very little debt,” Trump said. “If you did $5 million. Now, generally, people that can pay $5 million are going to be job producers. Okay? They’re going to be successful.”
“I will tell you what my people want to call it,” Trump added. “It’ll drive you crazy. It’ll drive the left crazy. They want to call it the Trump card.”
Trump further said, “The Trump card sells much better than the gold card everybody has,” adding that people who buy the card but are considered “unsavory” will have the card seized. They will also have their money returned and they will be kicked out of the country.
Last month, the Gold Cards were introduced to crack down on illegal immigration. “We’re gonna be selling a gold card, you have a green card, this is a gold. We’re gonna be putting a price on that card of about $5 million, and that’s gonna give you green card privileges plus it’s gonna be a route to citizenship,” Trump explained.
He added, “Wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card. They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people.”