A producer known for reality TV shows like The Millionaire Matchmaker, Duck Dynasty, and Alpha Dogs has proposed a new concept to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS): a reality competition where immigrants vie for U.S. citizenship.
During a May 16 interview, the producer, Worsoff, stated, “I’m putting a face to immigration. This is a great celebration of America,” also mentioning that he is a Canadian immigrant himself.
Worsoff mentioned that he had also pitched this idea to previous Democratic administrations.
In a statement emailed to TIME on Saturday, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS’ assistant secretary for public outreach, said the department receives numerous TV show proposals annually, “ranging from documentaries surrounding ICE and CBP border operations to white collar investigations by HSI,” and that each proposal is reviewed.
“We need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country, and we’re happy to review out-of-the-box pitches. This pitch has not received approval or rejection by staff,” she added.
McLaughlin reiterated that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is not supporting the show and is “not even aware of the pitch.”
Worsoff claimed in a CNN interview that the DHS seems to be “seriously considering” his show, which would feature elimination challenges across the U.S. He suggested examples such as a “pizza-making challenge” in New York, a “rocket-launching challenge” in Florida, and a “gold rush challenge” in California. Each episode would culminate in a town hall-style vote, similar to a “presidential election,” where the winner would be granted citizenship.
For instance, Worsoff said, “The people of Tennessee, let’s say, will get to vote on which one of our future Americans they would most like to represent the state of Tennessee.”
This pitch arrives as the Trump Administration implements stricter immigration policies, including legal battles concerning birthright citizenship, increased deportation efforts, and revisions to asylum access.
On Friday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged gang members to El Salvador. The administration had been using the act to expedite deportations of Venezuelan nationals allegedly linked to the Tren de Aragua gang. However, the court found that these migrants were given only 24 hours to seek legal counsel and lacked information about their due process rights. The ruling extends an April emergency order preventing the use of the wartime law to deport migrants held in a Texas detention facility.
Worsoff acknowledged the high stakes but insisted that his show is “not The Hunger Games.”
“It’s not some mean spirited thing that’s trying to deport people; it’s exactly the opposite of that,” he stated. “I’m very fortunate and lucky and honored to be an American. And I want everybody to understand the process.”
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