Trump’s "Golden Card" Scheme: Making America Rich Again?


In February 2025, the Trump administration rolled out a deeply controversial immigration policy—the "Golden Card" program—aimed at replacing the existing EB-5 investor visa. Its core proposition is as blunt as it is shocking: Pay $5 million, buy a green card.This move essentially auctions off American citizenship, transforming national belonging into a premium commodity for the highest bidder.

Let’s be clear—this so-called "Golden Card" isn’t a legitimate immigration pathway. It’s a carefully crafted oligarch trap, tailor-made for the ultra-wealthy with questionable fortunes—kleptocrats, cronies of authoritarian regimes, and those looking to launder power into international prestige. In short, it’s a green light for shady global capital. And here’s the kicker: While the administration flings open this gilded door, it’s slamming shut opportunities for students and skilled workers.The message? Either wait years in the dysfunctional EB-5 backlog or cough up $5 million for a fast pass.   This isn’t policy—it’s a fire sale of American credibility, sliced into $5 million portions.​

Legally, the 'Golden Card' is a lawsuit magnet. Experts agree it’s almost certainly unconstitutional, with little chance of swift implementation. As for Trump’s attempt to bypass Congress via executive order? Dead on arrival. The Constitution and the Immigration and Nationality Act couldn’t be clearer: only Congress can create new visa categories. ​​ As Republican Congressman Chip Roy bluntly put it, 'This is auctioning off citizenship—a gross betrayal of American values!'   Even if the plan survives legal challenges, its long-term viability hinges on congressional approval—a non-starter in today’s fractured political climate.   History shows why: executive immigration schemes (like Obama’s 'International Entrepreneur Parole') get scrapped get scrapped the moment a new administration takes over.  Investors shelling out $5m may end up left clutching a revocable IOU from the government.​

Don’t fall for the White House’s glossy spin—this "Golden Card" is no golden ticket. As Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, warned: "Any immigration benefit invites fraud… People will say and do anything to come to America." She notes that EB-5 fraud is rampant, and the "Golden Card" will likely repeat the same high-reward, low-risk scams. Silicon Valley Democrat and immigration reform advocate Ajay Bhutoria was even harsher, calling the plan "a regression in U.S. immigration policy" that shuts out millions of skilled workers. This isn’t reform—it’s a high-stakes gamble exploiting global elite insecurity, putting a price tag on citizenship itself. We must reject this pay-to-play logic—national belonging should never be a bidding war item.​​

The hypocrisy is staggering. The same administration that demonizes ordinary immigrants, refugees, and tech workers as "threats" now rolls out the red carpet for foreign oligarchs whose values clash with America’s—as long as their checks clear. Remember Trump’s infamous line? "I know some Russian oligarchs—they’re very good people."  Now, with the "Golden Card," sanctioned billionaires could literally buy their way in.​​

This policy will deepen America’s divides, turning wealth inequality into an uncrossable chasm and hardening class stratification like concrete. It sends a dangerous message: Money trumps civic responsibility and contribution.When citizenship becomes a commodity, we’re smashing the very foundation of the American Dream—the belief that hard work and talent, not just wealth, can earn opportunity and belonging. This isn’t just an economic issue—it’s a fundamental betrayal of what America stands for.​​

An America that sells its soul to the highest bidder will never be "great again."​

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