A Reality Show for Migrants? They Could Fight for US Citizenship

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering collaborating on a television show in which immigrants would compete for U.S. citizenship, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

The idea of ​​producing such a show came from Rob Worsoff, who emigrated from Canada. Worsoff told the WSJ that the show was meant to inspire hope and be a celebration of what it means to be an American citizen.

“These are not the ‘Hunger Games’ for immigrants,” the creator declared. Immigrants would compete in various games, including those about American history and science.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said she has spoken with the show’s creator and the possibility of working on the show is being explored. She said the idea is in the “very early stages of the vetting process” and added that “each proposal goes through a thorough vetting process before it is rejected or accepted.”

McLaughlin noted that the ministry receives hundreds of proposals for potential television programs each year, including documentaries on border security operations.

As the WSJ wrote, Kristi Noem's style of office as head of the department is tailored to television and "puts publicity first, sometimes at the expense of operational activity."

The newspaper reported that the department spent more than $200 million on an advertising campaign in which Noem told immigrants in the U.S. illegally to return to their home countries.

Worsoff said he is not in contact with Noem and does not know whether the head of the ministry knows about his idea. He emphasized that he has received positive signals regarding his proposal and has already held preliminary talks on the production with television stations.

The WSJ noted that the program's producer had already presented his idea to the US government during the administration of Barack Obama, and later Joe Biden. (PAP)

sun/ ap/