Following US President Donald Trump's proposed 'gold card' initiative to create a new immigration route for wealthy foreigners, Vice President JD Vance's recent comments on the rights of green card holders have sparked fresh debate.

Green cards, officially called Permanent Resident Cards, allow foreign nationals to live and work in the United States. However, despite the term "permanent residency," it does not guarantee an indefinite stay.

"A green card holder doesn't have an indefinite right to be in the United States," Mr Vance stated. "This is not about 'free speech.' Yes, it's about national security-but, more importantly, it's about who we, as American citizens, decide gets to join our national community."

US law permits the revocation of a green card in specific cases, such as criminal offences, extended stays outside the country, or non-compliance with immigration rules. The proposed 'gold card' program would enable foreign nationals to buy the right to live and work in the United States for a $5 million expenditure. 

"We're going to be selling a gold card," said Trump from the Oval Office lately. "You have a green card. This is a gold card. We're going to be putting a price on that card of about USD 5 million, and that's going to give you green card privileges, plus it's going to be a route to citizenship."

The US President claimed that the current immigration system has made it difficult for top international talent, mainly from India, to remain in the country after graduating from prestigious universities. "A person comes from India, China, Japan, and other countries, attends Harvard or the Wharton School of Finance... they receive job offers, but the offer is immediately revoked because there's no certainty about whether that person can stay in the country," according to him.

Under the 'gold card' initiative, companies could purchase these cards to simplify the hiring process of foreign talent. Trump suggested that the program could generate billions in revenue and contribute to reducing the national debt. The proposed initiative is expected to replace the EB-5 immigrant investor visa, which requires foreign investors to create jobs in the US to qualify for a green card. Recent data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) indicates that Indian nationals have been among the primary recipients of US work visas. Official figures show that between October 2022 and September 2023, 72.3% of all H1B visas were granted to Indian applicants.