Green cards for international graduates: A rare bipartisan opportunity

In a bold statement during a June interview on the “All-In” podcast, hosted by Silicon Valley investor Jason Calacanis, former President Donald Trump called for automatic green cards to be issued to international graduates of U.S. colleges, including junior colleges. He argued that this should be part of their diploma, allowing them to remain in the U.S. and contribute to the workforce.

In fact, this idea has been circulating — across party lines — for years.

Bill Gates advocated for immigration reform focused on high-skilled workers as early as 2007, and in 2011, then-New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg echoed the call for green cards for foreign graduates. During his 2012 presidential campaign, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) also voiced support for this policy.

Efforts for comprehensive immigration reform reached a high point in 2013 with the bipartisan "Gang of Eight," which included Republican Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.), John McCain (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.) alongside Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Michael Bennet (Colo.) and Robert Menendez (N.J.).

Their efforts, while ultimately unsuccessful, underscored a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation on the issue of immigration.

There’s no denying that America’s immigration system is broken, a point acknowledged by both parties. Yet finding consensus remains elusive. However, policies that receive broad bipartisan backing, like granting green cards to international graduates, offer a crucial opportunity to find common ground on targeted reform. We must prioritize initiatives such as this that help the U.S. compete on the global stage as a leader in innovation.

Allowing foreign graduates to stay and work in the U.S. is not only fair but also a smart economic strategy. Currently, we are losing talented individuals to other countries that have reformed their immigration policies, luring them away while benefiting from their advanced training in the U.S.

In 2023, the United Kingdom launched a program allowing graduates from top U.S. universities to work there without additional requirements. Similarly, Canada introduced a program targeting H-1B workers who had been laid off in the U.S., resulting in the loss of thousands of high-skilled workers to our northern neighbor.

Think about the consequences: The U.S. invests in educating high-skilled workers, only to watch the majority leave and strengthen our global competitors. Unmet high-skilled talent needs will persist and our startup ecosystem will begin to stagnate as immigrants are 80 percent more likely to pursue entrepreneurship over native-born Americans.

The U.S. will lose out on new technologies — and new jobs — without reform. Offering green cards to foreign graduates educated in the U.S. is not just good policy, it’s common sense. America must act before we lose more of our talent and our competitive edge.

We urgently need immediate solutions to address the severe talent shortage hindering technological innovation and industry growth. A prime example is the CHIPS and Science Act, which passed with bipartisan support in Congress.

Semiconductors, or "chips," are the backbone of everything from cell phones and cars to computers and critical infrastructure. While the magnitude of this issue may not be evident to the average person, our lives would struggle to function without chips. The CHIPS Act aims to bolster U.S. semiconductor production but to fulfill its ambitious goals, the semiconductor industry needs more than 230,000 additional workers. Immigrant talent is essential to making this happen.

Similarly, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence across industries — ranging from fast-food automation to the integration of AI in healthcare, legal and other sectors — means the demand for tech talent has never been higher.

Over 70 former national security officials from Republican and Democratic administrations have urged Congress to create new pathways for STEM experts to come to the U.S. While both sides of the political spectrum continue to prioritize U.S. leadership in AI, immigration is critical to bridging the talent gap.

As we approach the next election, no matter who wins, green cards for graduates remain a bipartisan issue that Congress must prioritize in the upcoming term. This is not just a matter of policy — it's about securing the future of American innovation, bolstering the startup ecosystem, and maintaining our competitive edge.

Tahmina Watson is an immigration attorney and founder of Watson Immigration Law. She is the author of “The Startup Visa” book series and host of “The Startup Visa Podcast.” Jennifer Weinhart is the senior policy advisor at Engine Advocacy.