American citizenship could soon look very different

Nearly four months into his second term, it's becoming clear that President Donald Trump's xenophobic views on immigration are reshaping what it means to become a US citizen.

- Patricia Lopez, Tribune News Service

His vision tilts heavily toward the wealthy and well-to-do, with special shortcuts for them and barriers to entry for the rest — particularly the world's refugees and asylum seekers. There's Trump's proposal for $5 million “gold visa” cards, the prototype of which is literally Trump's visage and Lady Liberty emblazoned on a golden rectangle. The cards would allow, in Trump's words, “very high-level people” a “route to citizenship.” One goal of the gold card is to cut years off the typical vetting process, producing residency in as little as two weeks.

Then there are the hefty deterrents for everyone else. New and escalating fees, proposed in the GOP's House budget bill, would quickly diminish the chances of entry for lower-income immigrants or refugees. A $3,500 fee would be slapped on unaccompanied minors. Anyone seeking a work permit would have to pay $550. And asylum applications, previously free, would cost $1,000 each. Most refugees and asylum seekers arrive in the US with few possessions and even less cash. Until now, those with valid claims have depended heavily on modest federal resettlement stipends to ease their transition. And while it remains a long shot, Trump's challenge to the Constitution's promise of birthright citizenship is an important declaration by this administration that it wants to determine who can become a citizen.