Donald Trump's team 'weighing up TV show offering immigrants US citizenship as prize'

The (DHS) is reportedly reviewing a proposal for a reality television game show in which immigrants would compete in challenges inspired by American traditions, with the ultimate prize being US citizenship. The concept, pitched by Canadian-born reality TV producer Rob Worsoff, includes segments such as a , a gold rush competition in , and an auto assembly contest in Detroit. The show would conclude with the winner being sworn in as a US citizen.

In an interview for the New York Times, Worsoff said the idea for the show was inspired by his personal journey through the US naturalization process. He mentioned one of the challenges would be a NASA-themed segment where contestants would race to assemble and launch a rocket.

The New York Times has reported Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin described the pitch as a "celebration of being an American", adding that the show would include challenges based on American traditions. Social media users have referred to the idea as "grotesque", a version of - dystopian movies in which participants compete in deadly challenges for survival.

The Daily Mail reported that Secretary of Homeland Security is "backing" the proposal, which DHS opposed. On X, McLaughlin wrote that Noem "has not 'backed' or even (been) aware of the pitch of any scripted or reality show."

Worsoff pitched the idea in a 36-slide deck to both the Obama and , the Wall Street Journal has reported. According to the Journal, his proposal includes one-hour episodes and begins with immigrants sailing to Ellis Island, once a key point of entry for millions of people arriving in the US.

He told the Journal: "This isn't The Hunger Games for immigrants," stressing that losing contestants would not face deportation. "This is not: 'Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country.'"

The proposal has surfaced amid President Donald Trump's harsh immigration enforcement policies targeting undocumented immigrants but also lawful permanent residents, refugees and those with temporary status and pending court cases. Trump's administration has recently moved to end temporary protected status (TPS) for various groups of immigrants, which originally shielded them from deportation. Since taking office, Trump has sought to strip TPS protections from citizens of countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Venezuela.