US Presidential polls 2024: ‘Companies need smart people,’ Donald Trump promises green card for foreign graduates

Former US President Donald Trump, in an interview posted on Thursday, stated that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign graduates from US colleges, a departure from his usual tough stance on immigration.

As reported by AFP, Trump made these comments on a podcast days after US President Joe Biden announced a plan to provide a path to citizenship for immigrants married to US citizens. This move contrasted with Biden's recent efforts to tighten controls on illegal border crossings.

“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,” Trump told the All-In podcast.

Also Read: Ex-Trump Associate Sater Tells NY Jury He Wasn’t Bothered by ‘Dirty’ Money

A green card is the commonly used name for a permanent resident card in the United States and is considered a key step towards obtaining US citizenship.

Trump said this should include “anybody who graduates from a college,” including those who complete two-year programmes, known as junior colleges, and doctoral graduates.

When asked initially on the podcast if he would promise to help import the “best and the brightest around the world to America,” Trump replied, “I do promise.”

He added: “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.”

“They go back to India, they go back to China. They do the same basic company in those places, and they have become multi-billionaires, employing thousands and thousands of people,” Trump said.

Also Read: US Presidential elections 2024: Donald Trump calls Vivek Ramaswamy ‘smart guy’, hints to keep in his team

He also said that US companies need “smart people,” adding, “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.”

“That is going to end on day one,” Trump added.

During Trump's 2017-2021 presidency, he ordered the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border and implemented a travel ban on people primarily from Muslim countries.

President Joe Biden, Donald Trump's Democratic opponent, recently announced the easing of visa regulations for approximately half a million spouses of US citizens, facilitating their path to citizenship.

Joe Biden also streamlined procedures for “Dreamers,” undocumented migrants brought to the US as children, enabling them to obtain work visas with college degrees and high-skilled job offers.

(With inputs from AFP)