This announcement is surprising given his typically strict stance on immigration.
During a podcast interview with Silicon Valley tech investors, Trump pledged to simplify the process of attracting talent to the US. He emphasized that anyone graduating from a US college should be allowed to remain in the country, according to Al Jazeera.
“It’s so unfortunate when we lose graduates from Harvard, MIT, and other exceptional institutions, including junior colleges,” Trump remarked on the All-In Podcast, hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg. “Graduates should automatically receive a green card as part of their diploma.”
A green card allows individuals to live and work permanently in the US and provides a pathway to citizenship. This proposal marks a significant shift from Trump’s previous hardline immigration policies, which have been a cornerstone of his rise in the Republican Party. If implemented, it could potentially result in hundreds of thousands of new citizenship applicants each year.
Despite this, Trump has also vowed to carry out the largest deportation of undocumented migrants in US history if re-elected in November. He has previously stated that migrants are “poisoning the blood of our country” and has frequently criticized his Democratic opponent, President Joe Biden, for his perceived leniency on immigration.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that approximately 11 million migrants are living in the US without authorization.