Elon Musk’s DOGE goons are onto their next money-making scheme: selling the special immigration visas labeled “gold cards” that President
Donald Trump
promised would
cost just $5 million apiece
.
You heard that right—immigrants will soon be able buy their way into the country in a process that will take only two weeks, reported
The New York Times
.
Those who don’t have the funds to get in will go through the typical immigration process, which can take years, or risk being deported through Trump’s mass immigration crackdown.
Musk vowed that his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) crew would cut “government bloat” by slashing the federal government. He also claimed that he’d save the U.S. $1 trillion, though recent estimates put his gains at just 15 percent of that intended target.
So his next cash grab will come from the “gold card” scheme, which grants permanent residence to foreign nationals who are willing to invest in U.S. businesses.
The program is co-led by a 19-year-old employee named Edward Coristine who
publicly goes by the nickname “Big Balls”
and was fired from an internship at a security company after a data breach investigation. It is also overseen by Marko Elez, 26, who faced severe backlash this year after
The Wall Street Journal
linked him to racist X posts
and calls for immigration policy based on eugenics.
Musk and his team of young DOGE goons have been working with employees from the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to create a website and application process for the visas.
The project similarly includes Joe Gebbia, the wealthy co-founder of Airbnb. He became part of Musk’s team in February.
The golden card aims to supplant the EB-5 visa, formerly offering green cards to individuals investing at least $800,000 or $1.5 million in the American job market. Last year, this program generated approximately $4 billion for the federal government—though constituting only a fraction of the $28 trillion U.S. economy, these funds were crucial support for real estate developers and entrepreneurs keen on maintaining the current visa framework.
Trump announced the immigration loophole in February when he said a gold card would give “very high-level people” a “route to citizenship.”
Later
When questioned about selling the cards to Russian oligarchs, Trump responded, “Yes, maybe. I know several Russian oligarchs who are really quite pleasant individuals.”
According to a 2024 report from the Immigration Research Initiative, new immigrants arriving to the U.S. can expect to earn a median wage of just $22,000 per year. So only the select few can buy their get-out-of-deportation free card.
Last month, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he had already sold 1,000 visas. But the
New York Times
it was reported that no funds have changed hands.
So if you possess a gold card—which was previously known as a green card—you’re considered a permanent resident of America,” explained Lutnick. “These individuals invest $5 million, thereby gaining the entitlement to reside in America and become Americans, provided they maintain good standing, pass scrutiny, and adhere strictly to legal standards.
There has been some uncertainty regarding the schedule, as the Trump administration has frequently altered the launch date. However, Lutnick has indicated that the commencement will be set for early next week.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House seeking comment.
Find out more on The Daily Beast.
