Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
In a public announcement on Tuesday, February 25, Trump announced this new route which is an immigration status of luxury, for wealthy foreigners. It will allow holders to live and work in the U.S. and give them a direct route to citizenship. In his own words, the card will be available for purchase at $5 million (approximately 3.1 billion CFA).
The new “Gold Card” issued replaces the EB-5 immigrant investor visa program, enacted in 1992, under which foreign investors could acquire permanent American residence status in return for investments in jobs-producing ventures. The former program had long been sharply criticized in the past and was branded by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as fraudulent.
President Trump referred to the Gold Card as a superior version of the traditional Green Card, emphasizing its benefits for both the immigrants and the US economy. A policy that is seen as a step to attract high-net-worth individuals to America so that only those with significant funds receive permanent residency and citizenship. It equally serves as a way to help reduce US national deficit.
This introduction of the Gold Card marks a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration policy, placing economic investment as a basic requirement for the granting of American residency and citizenship. As the policy is implemented, how it will affect the U.S. economy, immigration flows, and public perception remains to be seen.
