US President Donald Trump's high-tier immigration scheme is facing widespread rejection from its target demographic, with prominent attorneys actively advising wealthy clients against applying for the multimillion-dollar visa due to significant legal and financial uncertainties.
The Washington Postreportedthat seven lawyers representing the programme's target demographic cited ongoing litigation, tax implications, and the absence of a congressional mandate as primary reasons to avoid the scheme.
Even legal counsel with direct ties to the Trump family have expressed deep reluctance. Michael Wildes, an immigration attorney who has represented First Lady Melania Trump, her naturalised-citizen parents, and the Kushner family, confirmed he will not accept clients seeking the visa.
'It would be unethical of me to retain them,' Wildes told the Post, questioning the fundamental legality of the framework. He has also represented various Miss Universe titleholders.
Immigration specialist Rosanna Berardi similarly confirmed she routinely turns away foreign nationals interested in the Gold Card. 'As immigration counsel, our obligation is always to protect our clients' interests,' Berardi stated. 'And we do not believe it is appropriate to recommend a program with such significant legal uncertainty and financial risk, even when clients express a desire to proceed.'
The hesitation among top-tier legal representatives is reflected in the government's own data. According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) courtfilingsubmitted last week, only 338 people have formally submitted requests for the document.
Furthermore, just 165 of those applicants have completed the process of paying the $15,000 (£11,109) processing fee. Despite widespread legal warnings, a small subset of foreign nationals remains intent on securing the document.
Immigration attorney Mona Shah confirmed she represents two clients currently navigating various stages of the application process. Shah told the Post that her clients — wealthy individuals originating from Nigeria and Pakistan — are willing to absorb the financial loss. She noted that she explicitly warned them the initiative might amount to 'false advertising' and ultimately fail to deliver legal residency.
The current application figures contrast sharply with previous administration assertions. Last year, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick declared that the federal government would generate more than $100 billion (£74.1bn) in revenue by issuing 80,000 of the elite visas.
The vast discrepancy between Lutnick's projections and the actual DHS records extends beyond overarching targets. In March,Lutnick publicly claimedthe administration had already handed out 1,000 Gold Cards for $5 million (£3.7m) each, months before the programme officially launched. The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the conflicting timelines.
Source: International Business Times UK
