Interesting idea: Reality show winners to gain US citizenship

(Patria) - The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering participating in a reality TV show in which immigrants would compete for US citizenship, the ministry confirmed on Friday, AFP reports.

When asked about this idea, the DHS responded with a statement stating that the proposal "has not received approval or rejection by staff" and that "any proposal goes through a thorough vetting process before rejection or approval".

"We need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country and we will gladly review viable proposals," said Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the show, proposed by a Canadian American named Rob Worsoff, would feature contestants competing to prove they are "the most American".

"This is not 'The Hunger Games' for immigrants," the newspaper quoted Worsoff as saying, alluding to the dystopian novel and later film about children forced to kill each other in a televised survival competition.

"This is not 'Hey, if you lose, we're shipping you out of the country'", Worsoff said.

The Journal reviewed 36 pages of slides from Worsoff's team about the proposed program, in which contestants would compete in hour-long episodes.

This could include a gold rush competition to see who can extract the most precious metal from a mine, or contestants in teams assembling the chassis of a Model T car.

The show would begin with an arrival at Ellis Island, the traditional entry point for immigrants to the United States, and one contestant would be eliminated per episode.

The news comes at a time when the administration of former reality TV star, President Donald Trump, has moved to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for various groups of immigrants, which protected them from deportation.

Federal law allows the government to grant TPS to foreign nationals who cannot safely return home due to war, natural disasters, or other "extraordinary" conditions.

Since taking office, Trump has sought to revoke TPS protections for citizens of countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti, and Venezuela as part of a broader crackdown on immigration. That crackdown, led by the DHS, has included immigration raids, arrests, and deportations.