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Trump's $1 Million 'Gold Card' Visa Program Faces Federal Lawsuit

Plaintiffs argue the pay-to-play program unlawfully rewrites EB-1 and EB-2 rules set by Congress.

Overview

  • A suit filed Tuesday by the American Association of University Professors and noncitizen scientists and doctors, supported by Norm Eisen’s Democracy Defenders Fund, seeks to block the program.
  • The complaint says the initiative sells prioritized access to EB-1 and EB-2 visas for a $1 million “gift” plus fees and was launched without required notice-and-comment rulemaking.
  • Plaintiffs contend the scheme substitutes wealth for merit, displacing qualified applicants, and note that an investor pathway already exists under the separate EB-5 visa program.
  • Reporting cites annual employment-based visa caps and per-country limits that could leave approved purchasers waiting years for a visa number, despite the program’s fast-track claims.
  • The administration continues to promote a $5 million “Platinum” tier offering up to 270 days in the U.S. without tax on non-U.S. income, and the president has touted more than $1 billion in early Gold Card sales.