Battle for citizenship: US considers reality show idea for migrants
Kyiv • UNN
The US Department of Homeland Security is considering a reality show where 12 immigrants compete for citizenship. Participants will perform cultural and physical tasks while traveling the country.
The US Department of Homeland Security is considering creating a reality show in which migrants compete for US citizenship. The show concept, called "The American," involves 12 immigrants participating in a series of cultural and physical challenges across the country. The idea has already caused a wave of criticism, but it has not yet been officially approved or rejected. This is reported by UNN with reference to Economictimes.
Details
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that it is considering a proposal to create a reality show in which migrants compete for American citizenship.
The show, called "The American," was proposed by Canadian producer Rob Warsoff, who previously worked on projects such as "Millionaire Matchmaker" and "Naked Dating." The show proposes to involve 12 carefully vetted immigrants who will travel the United States and perform cultural tasks that the creators believe will help them speed up their path to citizenship.
It will all start on the symbolic Ellis Island, where participants will arrive on the "Ship of Citizens." Each of them will be presented with a baseball glove from a "naturalized famous American," among the possible names are Sofia Vergara, Ryan Reynolds and Mila Kunis, although none of them have yet joined the project.
Then the migrants will travel across the USA on a train called "The American", performing tasks such as collecting gold in San Francisco, assembling cars in Detroit or delivering mail on horseback in Kansas.
We will laugh, cry, be disappointed and rejoice with them — listening to their stories — and remembering how wonderful it is to be an American
The show's finalist must take the US citizen oath right on the steps of the Capitol, during a ceremony involving a senior official. It is noted that US Air Force Thunderbirds planes will fly over him. Those who do not win may receive symbolic American "awards" — from a lifetime supply of gasoline to Starbucks gift cards for $10,000.
At what stage is the show's approval
According to the Wall Street Journal, although the idea has already caused a wide resonance in social networks and associations with anti-utopias, the review process is only at an initial stage.
DHS spokeswoman Trisha McLaughlin confirmed that the application is being considered, but stressed that DHS Secretary Christie Noem did not support the idea and was not even familiar with it.
We receive hundreds of such proposals every year — from documentaries to shows about white-collar crime. Each application is checked before a decision is made
We will add that the current head of the DHS is known for her attention to publicity. Her visit to a prison in El Salvador, where she posed in a $50,000 Rolex watch, also became the subject of media criticism.
Although the author of the project hopes for big sponsorship deals, the show does not yet have funding or a distributor. The further fate of the project remains uncertain, the publication says.