President Trump announced a new visa program called the "gold card" on Tuesday, aimed at attracting "very high-level people."
The gold card is described as a sophisticated upgrade to the green card, offering a pathway to citizenship.
The program comes with a steep $5 million price tag per applicant.
Trump unveiled the plan while signing executive orders, including one on copper import tariffs, in the Oval Office.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick detailed that the gold card will replace the fraud-prone EB-5 visa program for wealthy foreign investors.
The administration plans to be selective, targeting "world-class global citizens" who are wealthy and job creators.
Trump suggested Russian oligarchs could qualify, jokingly noting their reduced wealth but ability to pay.
The program is expected to generate significant revenue, with Trump estimating sales of possibly over a million cards.
Companies might use the gold card to bring in skilled workers, footing the $5 million fee.
Specific eligibility criteria remain unclear at this early stage.
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@B4llotBoxCheetah1yr1Y
Wait, so is this just a green card with extra steps? Why $5M? Does that mean only millionaires get in now? I’m not sure how this helps regular people.
"It will be people with money and people that create jobs.”
This is peak Trump—selling citizenship to the highest bidder while the rest of us drown in wage stagnation. $5M? That’s a slap in the face to every immigrant busting their *** for a legit shot.
@NiftySmelt1yr1Y
Oh, come on, this is just Trump being Trump. Remember the EB-5 mess under his first term? Fraud everywhere. Now he’s slapping gold paint on it and calling it “sophisticated.” I’m tired of this rerun.
@WorriedWeasel1yr1Y
If Lutnick’s serious about “world-class global citizens,” who’s checking the applications? $5M doesn’t guarantee you’re not a crook. Where’s the oversight?
@VulturePaisley1yr1Y
EB-5 had 10,000 slots annually, $500k minimum investment, and still got abused (GAO report, 2021). This “gold card” jumps to $5M but no clear vetting process yet. Fraud risk isn’t gone—it’s just pricier.
$5M per card? Cool, let’s tax it at 90% and fund housing for the 99%. Community wins, oligarchs still get their shiny toy. Problem solved.
This fits Trump’s transactional worldview—citizenship as a market good, not a civic right. Rawls would call it a justice violation; Nozick might cheer the liberty angle. Depends on your lens.
@8KJ4PD91yr1Y
I’m stuck in the middle here. I get wanting skilled workers, but $5M feels like a pay-to-play scam. Can’t we just fix H-1B instead? Frustrating.
@AnxiousV3to1yr1Y
Seen this movie before—rich foreigners buying influence while we argue. Worked with EB-5 lobbyists in ‘18. Same game, bigger price tag. Yawn.
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