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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 4 IMMIGRATION December 26, 2025 Trump Unveils “Trump Gold Card,” Calls It a ‘Green Card on Steroids’ W ASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2025 — President Donald J. Trump on Thursday announced a new immigration initiative he said would dramatically reshape how the United States grants permanent residency, unveiling what he called the Trump Gold Card and describing it as “es- sentially the green card on steroids.” Speaking at theWhite House, Trump introduced the program as a fast-track pathway to lawful permanent residency and eventual citizenship for foreign nationals willing to make substantial financial contributions to the United States. “This isn’t your typical green card,” Trump said while holding up a gold-colored card bearing his name. “This is something much bigger, much faster. It’s the green card on steroids.” Trump said the program has already generated more than $1 billion in commitments, describing the early response as “tremendous” and portraying the initiative as a new revenue stream for the federal government. “All of that money goes straight to the United States,” Trump said, adding that the funds would benefit the Treasury and help strengthen the country’s fiscal position. Under the framework described by Trump, individu- als may qualify for the Gold Card by making a $1 million contribution, along with a $15,000 processing fee, and passing a comprehensive background screening process. The president said the program is designed to attract high-net-worth individuals who can contribute directly to the U.S. economy. Trump emphasized that participation would not bypass security standards, saying applicants would be “very carefully vetted.” “We want people coming in who are bringing some- thing truly great,” he said. Corporate Entry and Sponsorship Trump said the program also allows corporations to participate by sponsoring foreign employees. Under this structure, companies would make a $2 million contri- bution per sponsored worker, along with additional administrative and processing fees. The corporate option, Trump said, is intended to help U.S. companies attract and retain international talent while reducing delays associated with traditional employment-based visa programs. “This gives companies a powerful tool,” Trump said, calling it a way to strengthen American competitiveness in a global economy. Program Structure and Fees According to Trump’s remarks, the Gold Card pro- gram includes multiple tiers. In addition to the indi- vidual and corporate options, the administration is considering a higher-tier version — informally referred to as a Platinum-level card — that would require a significantly larger financial contribution and could include expanded benefits. Trump said the initiative is meant to simplify and accelerate residency approvals compared with existing immigration pathways, which he criticized as slow and overly bureaucratic. Framing the Policy Shift Throughout his address, Trump repeatedly con- trasted the Gold Card with traditional immigration programs, emphasizing speed, simplicity and economic contribution as defining features. He framed the initia- tive as part of a broader effort to align immigration policy with national economic interests. Unlike previous reforms, Trump said, the Gold Card prioritizes direct financial investment as a core qualifi- cation for residency. Looking Ahead Trump concluded by encouraging international ap- plicants and global businesses to consider the program, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to reshaping U.S. immigration policy around merit, invest- ment and economic growth. The Trump Gold Card initiative is expected to remain a focal point of immigration debate heading into 2026 as supporters and critics weigh its economic impact, accessibility and long-term implications. By A StaffWriter President Donald J. Trump holds up a sample “Trump Gold Card” while speaking about a new immigration initiative during an event at the White House on Dec. 19, 2025, as administration officials stand behind him PHOTO:WHITE HOUSE P resident Donald Trump on Thursday (December 18, 2025) ordered the suspension of the U.S. green-card lottery program that authorities said was used to gain entrance to the United States by the gunman in the recent shootings at Brown University and at the home of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem said. Two students were killed and nine others injured at Brown University on Dec. 13 when a man opened fire inside an engineering building. Two days later, Nuno Loureiro, 47, a professor of nuclear science and engineering, and of phys- ics, was found shot dead at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, about 40 miles from Brown. The same gunman was responsible for the two incidents, authorities said. The Diversity Immigrant Visa pro- gram, known as DV1, allows up to 50,000 people a year from countries with a low immigration rate to the U.S. to apply to come to the United States. The shooter, 48-year-old Claudio Manuel Neves Valente, entered the U.S. in 2017 through that program, according to law enforce- ment authorities. “This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Noem said in a social media post that an- nounced the decision. At Trump’s direction, Noem said she ordered U.S. Citizenship and Immigra- tion Services to immediately “pause” the program. The Department of Homeland Se- curity did not immediately respond to questions about why Noem believed Valente should not have been admitted. His entry to the U.S. under that program occurred during Trump’s first term. Trump unsuccessfully urged Congress to terminate the visa lottery in 2017 after another recipient, Sayfullo Saipov of Uzbekistan, carried out an Islamic State- inspired attack in Lower Manhattan that killed eight people and injured 18 others. Saipov was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Authorities said they did not know what had motivated the gunman in the recent shootings at Brown University and Brookline. But Valente and Loureiro had attended the same academic program in Portugal, Leah Foley, the U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts told reporters. Valente was living in Miami before he came to Boston last month, authorities said. The Trump administration has also sought to crack down on immigration following an attack inWashington, D.C., last month, in which an Afghan immi- grant opened fire on two National Guard members, killing one and wounding the other. The man charged with shooting the two Guard members, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, arrived in the U.S. through Operation AlliesWelcome, a Biden-era program that helped resettle Afghan nationals after the U.S. military with- drawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He was granted asylum earlier this year. Noem and other senior Trump officials have claimed that Lakanwal was never vetted before being allowed into the U.S., but people with direct knowledge of the case told TheWashington Post last month that he underwent thorough vetting by counterterrorism authorities before entering the country. The shooting brought immediate scrutiny to Operation AlliesWelcome and other immigration programs, and Trump subsequently announced plans for a full review of those admitted. The administration paused immigra- tion applications from 19 countries it deemed high risk, halted asylum cases processed by U.S. Citizenship and Im- migration Services and suspended all immigration-related requests from Af- ghan nationals, before further expanding its travel ban this week. The expansion of the travel ban, which has increased the number of countries whose citizens face a full or partial travel ban on entry to the U.S. from 19 to 39, takes effect on Jan. 1. The expansion will ban citizens from five additional countries, including South Sudan and Syria, and it partially restricts the entry of people from 15 more coun- tries, including Nigeria. Citizens of Laos and Sierra Leone, who previously faced a partial ban on U.S. entry, now face a complete ban. -TheWashington Post Trump Administration Suspends Green-Card Lottery After Brown Shooting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem at the White House on Nov. 17 PHOTO: SARAH L.VOISIN/TWP By Andrew Jeong, Maria Sacchetti