"As of 2023, approximately 495,000 immigrants call our state home, making up about 8.6% of the population. Immigrants comprised about 12% of the Twin Cities population. These individuals aren’t just statistics; they’re our neighbors, coworkers and friends," Ka Vang writes. Above, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) administer the Oath of Allegiance to new citizens in 2019. (AL DIAZ/Tribune News Service)

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You can’t put a price tag on American citizenship. As I sit at my desk, sipping jasmine tea, I can’t help but reflect on the latest brainchild of our commander in chief: the “Gold Card” visa program. For the bargain price of $5 million, the ultrawealthy can now buy their way into the American dream, complete with permanent residency and a fast track to citizenship. The way President Donald Trump unveiled this plan feels less like a policy announcement and more like a late-night infomercial — except instead of peddling a set of nonstick pans, he’s hawking a gilded passport to the land of the free and the home of the brave.

When I think of immigration, I envision families like my family seeking refuge from war-torn countries, dreamers yearning for a better life, and hardworking individuals who work even harder in America to achieve the American dream. Through their struggles, the rich and complex tapestry of our nation is created. I don’t picture Russian oligarchs (aka Vladimir Putin’s friends) writing checks larger than the GDP of some small nations to become Americans. But perhaps that’s just me.

In Minnesota, we’ve always welcomed immigrants, regardless of whether they have $5 million. That is why Minnesota has the largest Somali population in America, and one of largest Hmong populations in America. As of 2023, approximately 495,000 immigrants call our state home, making up about 8.6% of the population. Immigrants comprised about 12% of the Twin Cities population. These individuals aren’t just statistics; they’re our neighbors, coworkers and friends. They open restaurants that introduce us to flavors we can’t pronounce but love to savor. They start businesses that revitalize our communities. They work in hospitals, schools and, yes, even lead Fortune 500 companies.

The beauty of our immigration system, flawed as it may be, is that it offers opportunity based on merit and need. The “Gold Card” program, however, reduces this profound journey to a simple transaction. The defining symbol of America’s immigrant heritage is the Statue of Liberty. The poem “The New Colossus” is engraved on a plaque inside the pedestal, which includes the famous lines “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” written by Emma Lazarus in 1883.

I feel like Trump wants to roll back on that statement like he has with DEI and the federal workforce and put up some undignified and cheesy phrase on the plaque like:

“Folks, this is the biggest, real big, most biggie immigration deal in history. No caravans, no waiting at the border — just straight to the top — to citizenship! Forget ‘give me your tired, your poor’ — this is for the rich, the powerful, the beautiful. Only the best beautiful people get this deal — total winners, just like me. No poor losers allowed!”

Trump is sending a message to our allies and enemies that America is for sale. By tying citizenship to wealth, he is also sending a disconcerting message about our national values, which is we will do anything for a buck or two.

Proponents argue that this influx of capital could reduce the national deficit. But let’s be honest: Selling 10 million “Gold Cards” to cover a $36 trillion debt is entirely unrealistic. People who are a lot smarter than me with numbers have done the math, and the numbers don’t add up.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time we’ve had an investor visa program. The EB-5 visa required a minimum investment of $1 million (or $800,000 in targeted employment areas) and the creation of at least 10 full-time jobs. The “Gold Card” ups the ante to $5 million but conspicuously omits any job creation requirement. So, while the previous program aimed to stimulate economic growth and employment, the new proposal seems more like a high-stakes auction with citizenship as the gavel.

Unlike the EB-5, which requires a personal investment and gives visas only to the investor and the investor’s spouse and minor children, the “Gold Card” can be purchased on behalf of someone else, so it will require more careful vetting of both the funder and the beneficiary. So, this means a foreign nation, individual or organization can buy a “Gold Card” for anyone to come to America and destabilize our country. Do we really want to give oligarchs more control over American politics and popular culture than they already have?

In the end, the “Gold Card” raises more questions than it answers. What kind of nation do we want to be? One that values individuals for their contributions, character and potential? Or one that appraises human worth based on bank statements? What does that say about those of us who acquired it the old-fashioned way — by being born here or by navigating the labyrinthine process of naturalization like I did?

While I don’t have all the answers to those questions, I know that Trump’s Gold Card isn’t so much an attack on immigrants as it is on the unfortunate condition of being poor. It’s not newcomers to America he hates — it’s the ones without a seven-figure Swiss bank account. To him, money isn’t just a priority; it’s the only thing that matters. I disagree with Trump. America’s true wealth isn’t skyscrapers, luxury yachts or even its gold-plated citizenship programs. It’s the American people — all of them, not just the ones who can cut a $5 million check.

Ka Vang is a contributing columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune. She focuses on historically marginalized communities.