Top Line
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick informed lawmakers on Thursday that just one individual has received approval for President Trump’s “gold card” visa, despite the government reportedly selling over $1 billion in these visas.
Important Facts
During his testimony regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s budget request for fiscal year 2027, Lutnick mentioned to the House Appropriations Committee that the department has “recently approved one person, but we have hundreds of people waiting.”
In December, he had a press conference with President Trump to promote the visa and claimed they had “sold” $1.3 billion worth in just a few days.
Lutnick suggested that there might be delays in the program’s rollout, stating to lawmakers that “this process was recently resolved with DHS, which administers the program, and they are … conducting the most serious review and analysis of potential applicants in the history of our government.”
The application process, which began in December, requires applicants to pay a $15,000 fee and make a $1 million donation to the Department of Commerce to expedite their path to legal residency in the United States.
Employers can also sponsor employees through this program, requiring a $15,000 fee and a $2 million donation, along with annual maintenance and transfer fees.
What We Don’t Know
Jeffrey Chao, the Chinese founder of TP-Link Systems Inc., reportedly applied for the gold card program, according to Bloomberg. The statement, made in March, cited anonymous sources and noted that the Commerce Department is examining the company due to national security concerns regarding its ties to China.
Main Background
The Trump Gold Card program, created through executive order in September, provides EB-1 or EB-2 visas to selected applicants. EB-1 visas are intended for immigrants with “extraordinary ability,” while EB-2 visas also cater to those with “extraordinary ability,” with a cap on the number issued each year. The program is currently facing numerous legal challenges, as immigration advocacy groups filed a lawsuit in February to prevent its implementation, claiming it favors “wealth over intelligence and ability,” according to The New York Times. Additionally, a group of watchdog organizations has sued the federal government to obtain records associated with the program, likening the issuance of visas to “million-dollar Mar-a-Lago memberships.”
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