During last week’s Business Roundtable discussion, Donald Trump subtly suggested a change in immigration policy. One participant, who requested anonymity in order to recount a private conversation, said that he informed the gathering that “we need brilliant people” in the United States. Even prominent CEOs like Tim Cook of Apple were seen nodding their heads as he spoke about methods to retain American-educated talent here.
The next week, Trump made his move public on Thursday’s “The All-In Podcast,” in which he stated that foreign people who graduate from U.S. institutions and universities should “automatically” be granted a green card.
This is the most recent big policy change by a candidate who has shown himself to be both rigid and malleable. Following his change of heart regarding cryptocurrencies and TikTok—an app he had previously sought to outlaw—Trump’s change of heart on immigration follows.
The former president’s supporters see his about-faces as signs that he is a complex politician who is thoughtfully reconsidering his stances on topics that are evolving at a quick pace.
On the other hand, Trump’s tendency to cater to the opinions of rich donors and corporate interests is obvious.
Republican strategist Scott Jennings described Trump’s ability to “scoop up people that he might not have previously thought he could get” as an instinct. “Now, you could argue that’s selfish or that he lacks moral fiber or something along those lines. He must, however, secure the electoral victory.
Recent remarks by Trump on visas did not materialize out of thin air; rather, they revealed a development in his stance on immigration, a fundamental subject in his political narrative. Some tech industry heavy hitters looked to exhale in relief when Trump seemed to back the idea of retaining highly talented immigrants in the US when he addressed the Business Roundtable last week.
“Can you please promise us you will give us more ability to import the best and brightest from around the world to America?” asked Trump during his Thursday appearance on “The All-In Podcast,” which is hosted by Silicon Valley venture capitalists and Trump contributors David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya.
“Really, it’s disheartening when we lose students from top universities like Harvard and MIT, as well as smaller schools that are equally remarkable,” Trump expressed his sadness.
However, my proposal and my intention are that upon graduation from any type of college—including junior colleges—you should be granted a green card to enable you to remain in this nation automatically. It is only fair that everyone who completes a bachelor’s or master’s degree program in the United States be able to remain here permanently.
It was a big shift for Trump, who for his 2024 presidential campaign had used the vilification of illegal immigrants and his outrage at the record migrant numbers at the southern border as his central platform. On his first day in office, Trump demanded mass deportations, termed immigrants “poisoning the blood” of the United States, and brought attention to high-profile crimes perpetrated by illegal immigrants.
His remarks about green cards were the target of Trump’s detractors on Friday.
Benjamin Johnson, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, expressed his gratitude to an adviser who suggested that Trump consider shifting his focus away from the narrative of mass deportation, prison camps, and rapists and killers. “Come on, this guy has spent the better part of his career being completely wrong on immigration. I don’t know how seriously to take this.” Furthermore, Kevin Munoz, a campaign spokesman for Joe Biden, stated, “Trump’s empty promise is both a lie and an insult, especially to the countless people that have been permanently damaged by his first-term in office.”
While campaigning in 2016, Trump advanced a similar notion, calling the current policy of requiring non-citizens to leave the country soon after college graduation “ridiculous” and advocating instead for a pathway to citizenship.
But after taking office, Trump turned around and started cutting down on immigration, especially for employers and highly qualified individuals. This irritated business owners and engineers who depend on these visas to hire American workers. Fewer H-1B visas were awarded as a result of Trump’s executive order “Buy American Hire American,” which urged companies to safeguard American jobs. The directive was repealed by Biden shortly after he took office.
There has been an effort by Trump, his team, and their backers to draw a line between illegal immigrants and legal immigrants. Speaking during a naturalization ceremony for immigrants at the National Archives last December, Melania Trump, the former first lady, shared her story of coming to the U.S. on a work visa. The Trump campaign stated on Friday that “the most aggressive vetting process ever” will be necessary before any green cards would be issued.
“In his inaugural address as president, he has declared his intention to immediately close the borders and initiate the greatest wave of deportations of illegal immigrants ever seen,” stated Karoline Leavitt, a campaign spokesperson for Trump. Leavitt went on to say that Trump has “described the most aggressive screening procedure ever to exclude all communists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters, and public charges.”
Trump “believes, only after such vetting has taken place, we ought to keep the most skilled graduates who can make significant contributions to America,” she said, quoting Trump. Those well screened college grads who would never knowingly undercut American labor or salaries would be the only ones to benefit from this.
Before, Trump shifted gears, not by softening his stances but by making allowances for associates who apprised him of the intricacies of rapidly evolving technology and commerce.