Trump proposes green cards for foreign graduates of U.S. colleges

Former President Donald Trump said that giving foreign students green cards upon graduating from U.S. colleges would ensure America retains the best minds. Someone who graduates at the top of their class can’t even make a deal with a company because they don’t think they’ll be able to stay, Trump said. That includes junior colleges too, he added. Trump made the comments during an interview released on Thursday for the All-In podcast hosted by venture capitalists Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg.

What’s the public response to the comments? Trump’s comments raised eyebrows on both sides of the aisle, considering the former president's steps to curb illegal immigration while in office. Although Trump did not specify whether illegal migrants would qualify for his green card suggestion, some Republicans are pushing back against the idea. Stapling green cards to college degrees is a bad idea, commentator Ashley St. Clair wrote online. She added that guaranteeing citizenship after learning under what she characterized as completely captured institutions is not the way to retain talent.

Another online user joked that between Trump’s graduation green card suggestion, coupled with his pitch for government-paid online college last November, students from anywhere in the world could get a degree and move to America. Democrats note the similarities of Trump’s plan to one supported by his 2016 presidential rival Hilary Clinton, who suggested graduates from master’s and Ph.D. STEM programs at qualifying institutions receive green cards.

Dig deeper: Read my report on Trump’s shift from his traditionally pro-life view on abortion.