'They Go Back And Turn Billionaires In India': Donald Trump Promises Green Cards For Foreign Graduates
Trump's comments came during a podcast, where he discussed immigration policy in light of President Joe Biden's recent announcement of a citizenship pathway for immigrants married to US nationals.
Former US President Donald Trump on Friday proposed granting green cards to foreign graduates of American colleges, making a shift in his stance on immigration ahead of the upcoming November election. Trump's comments came during a podcast published Thursday, where he discussed immigration policy in light of President Joe Biden's recent announcement of a citizenship pathway for immigrants married to US nationals.
Trump, when asked if he would support tech firms in hiring top talent from countries like India, responded, "What I want to do and what I will do is, you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma a green card to be able to stay in this country".
A green card, officially known as a Permanent Resident Card, is a step toward US citizenship.
This position contrasts with Trump's 2016 campaign promise to end the H-1B visa programme, which is widely used by Indian tech workers. The H-1B visa allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require teaching expertise. Technology firms heavily rely on this visa to hire employees from countries like India.
Trump stated that his proposal should apply to all graduates, including those from two-year programmes and doctoral programmes. "I do promise," he said, when asked if he would commit to attracting "the best and the brightest around the world to America".
He cites examples of graduates from top colleges who wanted to stay in the US but were forced to return to their home countries, where they established successful companies. "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 said.
Trump highlighted the need for "smart people" in US companies, adding that businesses struggle to make deals because they doubt whether skilled workers can stay in the country. "That is going to end on day one," Trump asserted.
Trump's comments came after US President Biden's announcement of the relaxation of visa rules for the spouses of US nationals, making it easier for them to obtain citizenship. Biden also simplified the process for migrants who arrived in the US illegally as children to get work visas if they have graduated from college and secured a high-skilled job offer.
In 2023, the US issued over 1,40,000 visas to Indian students, a record number. The US embassy in India is preparing for an increased number of student visa applications in 2024 by starting interviews earlier than usual.
A green card grants the holder permanent resident status in the US. According to the latest annual Open Doors report by the Institute of International Education, over a million international students from more than 210 countries are studying at US higher education institutions during the 2022-23 academic year.
During his presidency, Trump implemented various immigration restrictions, including limitations on green cards, visa programmes, and refugee resettlement, majoring in reducing the number of lawful permanent residents entering the US. He was critical of the H-1B via visa, he even called it a "theft of Americal prosperity".
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