The idea was pitched to the DHS
in a 35-page slide deck by the television producer, known for the popular reality show ‘Duck Dynasty’, according to a Daily Mail report.
As per the latest reports, DHS is evaluating the reality show concept in which immigrants compete to earn American citizenship. A DHS official confirmed that the pitch by the television producer is under review, according to a Fox News report.”I said it may be a good idea,” Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, was quoted as saying by Fox News Digital.
She said that the US needs to revive patriotism and civic duty in the country and added that Homeland Security would gladly review all extraordinary pitches. Tricia told The New York Times that the show proposed by Worsoff had the potential to celebrate the essence of being American.
Worsoff said that the show will feature immigrants competing in tasks rooted in American culture and history. Sample challenges, as per reports, would include assembling and launching a rocket at NASA sites in Texas or Florida, navigating a gold rush-themed contest in San Francisco, or participating in an auto assembly-line challenge in Detroit.
Every episode would end with a trivia segment on citizenship knowledge, and the program would end with the winner being sworn in as an American citizen.
Worsoff also revealed that the participants won’t face penalties or deportation for losing, the report added.
The proposal did not reach the DHS while Kristi Noem was leading the agency. Noem had gained attention for her public-facing, ‘made-for-TV’ approach to immigration enforcement. Under her administration, DHS has made headline-grabbing stunts, including her ride-along with immigration officers and her contentious tour of a Salvadoran prison.
Although DHS has worked with filmmakers before—most prominently on the 2017 documentary series Immigration Nation—McLaughlin emphasised that the agency gets hundreds of such pitches every year and that each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process.
Meanwhile, the idea has stirred a controversy amid the Trump Administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants, which has affected undocumented migrants, green card holders and refugees. Critics argue that such media projects risk trivialising the serious and often traumatic experiences of immigrants.
Despite pitching the show to DHS during the Obama and Biden administrations without success, Worsoff has reportedly received ‘positive feedback’ from current Trump officials. He has also initiated early discussions with networks interested in broadcasting the series, according to reports.
