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Trump’s Gold Card Visa Program Faces Federal Lawsuit Over Pay-to-Play Claims

Plaintiffs say the initiative illegally substitutes wealth for congressionally defined merit criteria.

Overview

  • Filed in Washington, D.C., the suit comes from the American Association of University Professors and immigrant professionals, including researchers from Mexico, Colombia, Ghana and Taiwan.
  • The challenge targets a September 2025 executive order that lets individuals qualify for EB-1 or EB-2 through a $1 million payment or corporations through $2 million, with a $15,000 processing fee.
  • President Trump and senior officials Marco Rubio, Kristi Noem, Joseph Edlow and Howard Lutnick are named as defendants, and the plaintiffs ask the court to halt the program.
  • The complaint argues the program diverts capped employment-based visas from merit-based applicants, while experts warn per-country limits could still leave buyers waiting years.
  • The administration is also promoting a $5 million Platinum Card offering up to 270 days in the U.S. without U.S. tax on non-U.S. income, with a waitlist already open.