Donald Trump said he will grant green cards to foreign graduates from US colleges, in an apparent softening of his views on immigration.
The Republican candidate made the remarks in a podcast published Thursday, June 20, days after President Joe Biden announced a citizenship pathway for immigrants married to US nationals.
Trump said in the podcast: “What I want to do and what I will do is, you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma a green card to be able to stay in this country.”
A green card is the commonly used name for a permanent resident card in the United States and a step toward citizenship.
Trump said this should include “anybody who graduates from a college,” including those who complete two-year programs, known as junior colleges, and doctoral graduates.
Trump was initially asked on the podcast if he would promise to help import the “best and the brightest around the world to America.”
He replied: “I do promise.”
He added: “I know of stories where people graduated from a top college, or from a college, and they desperately want to stay here… 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.”
He also said that US companies need “smart people,” adding “T can’t even make a deal with a company because they don’t think they’re going to be able to stay in the country.”
“That is going to end on day one,” Trump said.
During Trump’s 2017-2021 presidency, he ordered the construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border and implemented a travel ban on people from mostly Muslim countries and Africa.
His comments came after Democrat opponent Biden on Tuesday relaxed visa rules for around half a million spouses of US nationals, making it easier for them to obtain citizenship.
