Donald Trump expressed his intention to offer green cards to foreign graduates from US colleges, signaling a shift from his usual tough stance on immigration, a significant topic in the election.

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Racine, Wisconsin, on June 18, 2024. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

These comments were made by the Republican candidate during a podcast released on Thursday. This statement came shortly after President Joe Biden revealed a pathway to citizenship for immigrants married to US citizens, which serves as a contrast to his recent efforts to tighten controls on illegal border entries.

“What I want to do and what I will do is, you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma a green card to be able to stay in this country,” Trump told the All-In podcast.

A Green Card is the popular term for a permanent resident card in the United States, representing a pathway to citizenship.

Trump said this should include “anybody who graduates from a college,” including those who complete two-year programs, known as junior colleges, and doctoral graduates.

Asked initially on the podcast if he would promise to help import the “best and the brightest around the world to America,” Trump replied: “I do promise.”

He added: “I know of stories where people graduated from a top college, or from a college, and they desperately want to stay here… and they can’t.

“They go back to India, they go back to China. They do the same basic company in those places and they become multi billionaires employing thousands and thousands of people,” Trump said.

He also said that US companies need “smart people,” adding “they can’t even make a deal with a company because they don’t think they’re going to be able to stay in the country.”

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“That is going to end on day one,” Trump added.

During the presidency of Trump from 2017 to 2021, he initiated the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border and enforced a travel ban on individuals from predominantly Muslim nations.

The Democratic opponent, Biden, recently eased visa rules for approximately 500,000 spouses of US citizens, facilitating their path to citizenship.

The president also streamlined the procedure for “Dreamers,” individuals who arrived in the US as children without legal status, to acquire work visas upon college graduation and securing high-skilled job offers.

Biden, criticized by Republicans for his immigration policies, signed an executive order in June preventing migrants from claiming asylum if daily arrivals exceed 2,500.

To strengthen the US economy and retain top talent, the Biden administration has introduced measures to fast-track employment-based non-immigrant visas for recent US college graduates who have secured job offers.

United States To Speed up Visa Approval for Nigerian Graduates with Employment Offers

This initiative aims to simplify immigration procedures and attract skilled workers to the United States.

On 18th July, the State Department will release new guidelines for consular officers regarding recommending the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to approve waivers for ineligibility.

These waivers are essential for speeding up the visa application process while maintaining strict screening and security measures.

During the recent election season, the administration announced plans to prioritize international students who have graduated from US colleges and have job offers, ensuring faster visa issuance for those meeting the criteria.

Non-immigrant visas based on employment, such as the commonly used H-1B visa, allow foreign nationals to work temporarily in the US. The visa process typically begins with the employer submitting a petition for the prospective employee.

Applicants initially rejected for visas are usually informed of the reasons by the consular officer. Some of these applicants may be eligible for a waiver, providing them with another opportunity to obtain their visa. The DHS and the US Customs and Border Protection’s Admissibility Review Office handle these waiver requests.

Before applying for an H-1B or other temporary worker visa, employers must first receive approval for a Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129) from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Upon approval of this petition, the potential employee can proceed with their visa application, which involves completing the Online Non-immigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160) and scheduling an interview at a US embassy or consulate.

In fiscal year 2023, USCIS and the State Department issued over 192,000 employment-based immigrant visas, ensuring that no visas remained unused for the second consecutive year.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has announced a ban on admissions for candidates under the age of 18 into tertiary institutions in the country.

Federal Government Bans University Admissions for Individuals Under 18

He made the announcement while speaking at the 2024 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

“JAMB is hereby notified that there is now a ban on underaged students, those under the age of 18 into our tertiary institutions from this 2024 admissions,” Mamman said.

The minister stated that the Federal Government is contemplating the adoption of 18 years as the entry age for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions of learning.

The minister mentioned that the 18-year benchmark aligns with the 6-3-3-4 system of education. Additionally, he emphasized that for individuals unable to secure admission into tertiary institutions, the Ministry of Education is introducing skills training for pupils starting from primary school.

A Missouri maths teacher is likely headed to prison after admitting that she had sex with a 16-year-old student while other students acted as her “lookouts”.

Missouri Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of 16-Year-Old Student, Other Students Served as Lookouts

The boy’s dad still faces felony charges for allegedly condoning the disturbing relationship.

Hailey Clifton-Carmack, 26, was arrested in January 2024 after a student reported their illicit relationship to a school resource officer and then showed the police a photo of the scratches she left on her victim’s back.

On Friday, September 6, she pleaded guilty to sexual contact with a student, a charge that could imprison her for the next four years, according to the Daily Mail.

The plea deal allowed her to avoid other serious charges, including statutory rape, child molestation and child endangerment.

The teacher will now be under house arrest until her October 11 sentencing, the outlet said.

The boy’s dad, Mark Creighton, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child since he allegedly knew about the affair but didn’t report it.

But that case is on hold until after Clifton-Carmack’s sentencing in Pulaski County, Missouri, according to the county’s prosecuting attorney, Kevin S. Hillman.

Clifton-Carmack’s plea is the latest development in the sickening case, which began when a student witness reported the relationship between the teenager and the Laquey High School maths teacher last December. The witness showed the police the photo of the victim’s torn-up back, which Clifton-Carmack allegedly mauled when the two had sex in the witness’s driveway.

The maths teacher—a divorced mother of two—had gotten into trouble with school officials before for getting too close to the students, the witness added.

She also often wore revealing clothing, like low-cut tops and tight leggings. Clifton-Carmack denied the relationship when detectives caught up with her on December 8, 2023.

The police confiscated her phone and eventually found text messages illuminating the risqué relationship, court documents said.

She took off just before Christmas, allegedly heading to Texas so she could visit family. But her roommates said she’d moved permanently and weren’t sure if she was coming back.

In January, the Garden Ridge Police Department arrested her in Comal County, Texas, and charged her with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree statutory rape, sexual contact with a student, and fourth-degree child molestation.

Creighton, the boy’s dad, was also arrested in January on a charge of endangering the welfare of a child after another witness said they told the teen’s father about the teacher’s actions.

He simply said he knew about their sexual relationship, court documents said. And he also knew that his son and the teacher used students to serve as lookouts—particularly when they had sex during school hours.

The man “knew of the relationship of his minor child and the 26-year-old teacher, and instead of reporting the information, he continued to cover for them and allowed the relationship to continue” and “even allowed Hailey to come over to his residence and see the victim while he was present,” prosecutors said.

He also reportedly told a witness he would lie for his son if he had to.

Tensions escalated at Christian Methodist Senior High School (Chrimeto) in Ghana as pupils allegedly attacked teachers for refusing to allow cheating during the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

WASSCE: Students attack teachers for refusing to allow them cheat

According to reports, the confrontation began when angered pupils, frustrated by the strict enforcement of exam regulations, started throwing stones at the teachers.

In an interview with TV3, one of the teachers, Adanunyo, described the frightening experience, recounting how he and the Head of Department were warned by a pupil about a potential attack if they continued with their strict supervision.

“After the integrated science paper, we were warned that pupils would harm us if we didn’t relax the supervision,” Adanunyo explained. The following day, with no police presence, the situation escalated as pupils began throwing stones and sachets of water at the educators. Adanunyo noted that he, along with three permanent teachers and two service personnel, was targeted by a group of pupils.

“I suggested we leave, but some pupils took alternative routes and confronted us halfway, accusing me of being too strict and not allowing cheating,” Adanunyo added.