Ro Khanna Blasts Trump’s Gold Card Proposal, Dems Lack Of Vision

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) has voiced strong opposition to President Donald Trump’s proposed “gold card” program, which aims to offer U.S. residency to foreign investors willing to contribute $5 million to the economy.

“You don’t need to have $5 million in your bank account to build a successful company in America. Just look at Sergey Brin, Sundar Pichai, or Satya Nadella,” Khanna stated in a February 26 interview with Newsweek.

Khanna advocates for a merit-based immigration system that embraces talented workers while reforming the H-1B visa program to safeguard against exploitation. “We should welcome talented workers to America who will bring their creativity and productivity while also reforming the H-1B program to prevent abuses,” he emphasized.

Trump unveiled the “gold card” initiative on February 25, promoting it as a pathway to U.S. residency and citizenship for wealthy foreign investors. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick described the current EB-5 visa as merely a “low-priced” means to obtain a green card. T

The EB-5 program requires applicants to invest between $800,000 and $1 million, in addition to covering fees of $100,000 to $200,000, and hiring at least ten Americans.

However, immigration policy experts have quickly pointed out that the president lacks the authority to create new visa categories or terminate the EB-5 program, as such powers reside with Congress.

In another interview, Khanna expressed concerns about the Democratic Party’s leadership, highlighting a “failure of leadership” that has left members without a concrete plan to regain voter support beyond relying on Republican missteps.

 During an appearance on The Young Turks, he criticized the party for not addressing the needs of struggling working-class Americans, who are “justifiably angry” ahead of the 2024 elections. “Fortunately, they’re self-destructing, but as Senator Bernie Sanders says, there’s not enough focus on a concrete vision to solve the massive inequality,” Khanna remarked.