Donald Trump proposes ‘automatic Green Cards’ for Indian graduates amid US Election bid: ‘Give us ability to import…’

Former US President Donald Trump has shifted his stance on immigration ahead of the upcoming US presidential election 2024, proposing ‘automatic Green Cards’ for foreign students graduating from US colleges. In a podcast interview, Trump expressed support for granting Green Cards as part of diplomas, emphasizing the retention of talent in the United States. He underscored the economic potential lost when highly educated individuals return to their home countries, such as India and China, to start businesses that could otherwise thrive in the US.

“What I want to do and what I will do is --you graduate from a college, I think you should get a Green Card automatically as part of your diploma, a Green Card to be able to stay in this country. And that includes junior colleges too,” Trump, 78, said in the “All-In” podcast.

Donald Trump's remarks came as he was pressed by Calacanis to “promise us you will give us more ability to import the best and brightest around the world to America.”

Donald Trump also lamented “stories where people graduated from a top college or from a college, and they desperately wanted to stay here, they had a plan for a company, a concept, 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 become multi-billionaires employing thousands and thousands of people, and it could have been done here," he said.

"Let me just tell you that it's so sad when we lose people from Harvard, MIT, from the greatest schools. and lesser schools that are phenomenal schools also. And what I wanted to do, and I would have done this, but then we had to solve the COVID problem because that came in and, you know, sort of dominated for a little while, as you perhaps know,” Trump said in response.

Trump's remarks reflect a departure from his previous anti-immigrant rhetoric, focusing now on a merit-based immigration system to attract and retain skilled individuals. He highlighted the plight of top graduates who struggle to secure US residency, despite their academic achievements and potential contributions to the economy.

During his presidency, Donald Trump implemented stringent immigration policies, including restrictions on green cards and visa programs, aimed at reducing legal immigration. He also targeted the H-1B visa program, crucial for tech companies hiring foreign skilled workers, which he criticized as detrimental to American interests.

The proposal to grant automatic Green Cards to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) graduates aligns with Donald Trump's renewed emphasis on recruiting and retaining top talent. 

Trump's proposals contrast starkly with earlier executive actions, such as the travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries and efforts to curtail legal immigration.

Despite these shifts, Trump's immigration policies remain contentious, with ongoing debates over their impact on the US economy and workforce.