In a podcast published on Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made the proposal that college graduates in the United States should be granted a green card so they can remain in the country. This goes against his staunchly anti-immigration stance.
Angel investor Jason Calacanis advised President Trump that the United States must be able to lawfully retain more highly trained individuals, a crucial issue for the tech sector, during the All-In podcast held by Silicon Valley tech investors.
Calacanis asked if Trump can promise that he will bring the greatest and brightest from around the globe to the United States.
"I do promise", Trump said. And in his opinion, graduates should be granted a green card as part of the degree, which should extend to junior institutions as well.
A green card, sometimes referred to as a card for permanent residence, is a prerequisite for citizenship that grants holders the ability to live and work in the US forever.
It was unclear whether Trump was speaking of foreign nationals on student visas alone or of all foreign nationals, including those who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas.
The Trump team responded to a request for comment by saying that the most qualified graduates who can significantly benefit America would only be allowed to stay after the most stringent screening procedure in American history.
One supporter of immigration was not persuaded by Trump's proposal.
Trump's government implemented measures to limit the employment of skilled foreign laborers by American businesses on H-1B visas, a crucial visa option for foreign students wishing to stay in the country during his presidency from 2017 to 2021.
Tens of thousands of international students were threatened with deportation by the Trump administration if their institutions did not accept online enrollment during the coronavirus outbreak. The administration ultimately revoked the directive after facing legal challenges and fierce resistance from colleges and institutions.
In his campaign against Democrat Joe Biden in November, Trump has threatened to carry out a broad crackdown if reelected, and he has criticized Biden's attempts to stop the record number of migrants entering the country illegally.
Earlier this month, venture entrepreneurs David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, who are hosts of All-In, threw a classy fundraiser for Trump in San Francisco, which brought in about $12 million for his campaign.