Trump's Gold Card Visa: One Approval, High Hopes

0:00It's April 24th. Welcome in. This is California News Today, where local news meets AI. President Trump's goal card visa program lets wealthy foreigners drop at least $1 million for the right to live and work in the U.S. with a path to citizenship. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik announced Thursday that just one person has been approved so far, despite big early hype. The program kicked off in December, and Lutnik claimed they sold $1.3 billion worth in days, which Trump calling it a green card on. Stereoids, he skipped questions on why only one approval happened yet, but said hundreds are in the queue as they perfect the process. Critics note the gap between those flashy sales claims and reality, especially with U.S. debt at $31.3 trillion in deficits. Around $2 trillion this year, Lutnik once predicted it could raise $1 trillion overall to help balance the books. Each applicant pays an extra $15,000 for vetting, and companies can buy $2 million cards for

1:03key foreign talent, plus a 1. Percent annual fee, a slick website hypes it with Trump's face, an eagle, and the Statue of Liberty, teasing a $5 million platinum version next that skipped taxes. On foreign income, for up to 270 days, Trump backs skilled immigration like this, even as he pushes deportations for others. It's a global trend, too, with places like Canada, Australia, and Europe offering similar golden visas to draw in big money for their economies.