Donald Trump has proposed granting automatic green cards to all graduates of U.S. colleges as a strategy to prevent brain drain and retain top talent in the country.
The proposal would apply to graduates from two-year colleges, four-year universities, and doctoral programs, regardless of their field of study or the prestige of their institution.
“When we lose phenomenal individuals from schools like Harvard and MIT or even lesser-known colleges that produce exceptional talent, it’s a loss for our economy,” Trump stated
He highlighted the struggles of international students who want to stay in the U.S. after graduation but are often forced to leave due to visa limitations.
These graduates frequently return to India or China and establish companies that become multi-billion-dollar enterprises, employing thousands of people abroad instead of in the United States.
“They leave with innovative ideas and plans to build companies, but when we send them back to countries like India or China, they implement those ideas there. The jobs and wealth they create could have been part of our economy,”
The proposal aims to ensure that the U.S. workforce remains competitive by keeping highly skilled individuals within the country.
“Companies need brilliant people to innovate and grow. Forcing the brightest graduates to leave not only undermines their potential but also hurts our businesses,”
Describing the current immigration system as counterproductive, Trump promised that under his plan, barriers preventing international graduates from staying would “end on day one.”
