🔗 Share this article Late-Night Hosts Target Trump's New 'Gold Card' Residency Plan Television's leading hosts spent the airtime criticizing former President Donald Trump's newly announced immigration program, called the "golden visa," characterizing it as a blatant pay-for-access system for the affluent. Colbert's Witty Analysis Kicking off his program, Stephen Colbert delivered a sardonic holiday song directed at the president. "He's compiling a list, reviewing it twice, and then handing that list to the agents at ICE," he sang. "The President ... spoils each thing he handles." The subject was the new initiative that enables foreign nationals to purchase U.S. residency for an investment of a million dollars, or "top-tier" option for five million. A government website promises approval "faster than ever." "A brief note for you to wealthy applicants: prior to you pony up, what about Canada?" Colbert quipped. He explained that the scheme is also intended to "squeeze cash" from businesses looking to hire foreign workers, with large fees. "That is a lot of fees, but if you register, you additionally get free accommodation at a hotel of your selection – provided that it's the a specific Marriott," he said. "Unprecedented background check the government has before done," stated Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, "that $15,000 vetting to ensure these individuals truly are eligible to be in America." "That's important, you gotta prove you're qualified to be an American," Colbert deadpanned. "First question: how many hamburgers would you eat for a free T-shirt?" Jimmy Kimmel's Blistering Roast On his own program, Jimmy Kimmel labeled the initiative the "U.S. Access Express Card." "Here's a card that will allow wealthy foreigners to live here," he explained. "For a million bucks, you get legal resident status, you get a pathway to citizenship, and a president's pardon for one major crime of your selection." "Perhaps it's time to change that inscription on the Statue of Liberty – never mind your poor masses. Give us a million bucks, you're in!" he joked. Kimmel teased the simplicity of the application, saying it is "harder to start a Wordle account." He said that Trump "believes citizenship is something you can sell, like a steak." "Indeed, the best people are the rich people," Kimmel said. "It's what Jesus always said! It's in the Bible. He says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle provided that you pay the needle a million dollars." Seth Meyers covering Economic Issues Meanwhile, Seth Meyers focused on Trump's declining poll numbers during financial worries. "The public gave Donald Trump a second term since they were mad about the economy," he explained. Recently, in a bid to discuss affordability, Trump conducted a briefing in front of a display of grocery items, where he behaved oddly to boxes of cereal. "These look great, I think I'm going to take some of them back to my home and have a lot of fun," Trump stated. "Like the Cheerios, I haven't seen Cheerios in a long time." "Trump is so extremely weird," Meyers reacted. "Like, you're going to take them home to your cottage to have a lot of fun with them? What exactly happens with those Cheerios?" Meyers finished by criticizing right-leaning media coverage of Trump's financial record. "Perhaps instead of complaining, you should give him a sparkling trophy similar to what FIFA did," he laughed.
Television's leading hosts spent the airtime criticizing former President Donald Trump's newly announced immigration program, called the "golden visa," characterizing it as a blatant pay-for-access system for the affluent. Colbert's Witty Analysis Kicking off his program, Stephen Colbert delivered a sardonic holiday song directed at the president. "He's compiling a list, reviewing it twice, and then handing that list to the agents at ICE," he sang. "The President ... spoils each thing he handles." The subject was the new initiative that enables foreign nationals to purchase U.S. residency for an investment of a million dollars, or "top-tier" option for five million. A government website promises approval "faster than ever." "A brief note for you to wealthy applicants: prior to you pony up, what about Canada?" Colbert quipped. He explained that the scheme is also intended to "squeeze cash" from businesses looking to hire foreign workers, with large fees. "That is a lot of fees, but if you register, you additionally get free accommodation at a hotel of your selection – provided that it's the a specific Marriott," he said. "Unprecedented background check the government has before done," stated Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, "that $15,000 vetting to ensure these individuals truly are eligible to be in America." "That's important, you gotta prove you're qualified to be an American," Colbert deadpanned. "First question: how many hamburgers would you eat for a free T-shirt?" Jimmy Kimmel's Blistering Roast On his own program, Jimmy Kimmel labeled the initiative the "U.S. Access Express Card." "Here's a card that will allow wealthy foreigners to live here," he explained. "For a million bucks, you get legal resident status, you get a pathway to citizenship, and a president's pardon for one major crime of your selection." "Perhaps it's time to change that inscription on the Statue of Liberty – never mind your poor masses. Give us a million bucks, you're in!" he joked. Kimmel teased the simplicity of the application, saying it is "harder to start a Wordle account." He said that Trump "believes citizenship is something you can sell, like a steak." "Indeed, the best people are the rich people," Kimmel said. "It's what Jesus always said! It's in the Bible. He says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle provided that you pay the needle a million dollars." Seth Meyers covering Economic Issues Meanwhile, Seth Meyers focused on Trump's declining poll numbers during financial worries. "The public gave Donald Trump a second term since they were mad about the economy," he explained. Recently, in a bid to discuss affordability, Trump conducted a briefing in front of a display of grocery items, where he behaved oddly to boxes of cereal. "These look great, I think I'm going to take some of them back to my home and have a lot of fun," Trump stated. "Like the Cheerios, I haven't seen Cheerios in a long time." "Trump is so extremely weird," Meyers reacted. "Like, you're going to take them home to your cottage to have a lot of fun with them? What exactly happens with those Cheerios?" Meyers finished by criticizing right-leaning media coverage of Trump's financial record. "Perhaps instead of complaining, you should give him a sparkling trophy similar to what FIFA did," he laughed.