As conservatives, we champion secure borders, the rule of law, and an America First agenda that prioritizes our citizens. But putting America first isn’t just about policy, it’s also about investment and capital.
This may surprise you, but foreign investment can help us secure our nation. The right type of foreign investment. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program is working and working very well. It’s a system that channels foreign wealth into U.S. businesses: creating jobs and boosting our economy without costing taxpayers anything. Like most programs in D.C. the program is now the center of controversy. Fake news, misinformation, and sensationalistic rhetoric is now being spread about the EB-5 visas. It may come as no surprise, but do NOT believe what you hear. The system is a win for Americans. We get wealthy, freedom-loving foreigners who are willing to invest in American businesses in return for the ability to come and live here. Which means instead of importing poverty to America, like the previous administration, we import entrepreneurs who will help America grow and prosper.
Congress established the EB-5 visa program in 1990. It’s designed as a fast track to permanent residency for foreigners who invest significant capital in U.S. businesses. Those businesses must create at least 10 full-time jobs for American workers. The EB-5 program fuels the growth of small business in America. And small business is at the heart of our economy.
I have seen firsthand, EB-5 investment in poor rural areas in America as well as inner city areas that are both plagued with unemployment. The investors often put up at least $800,000 dollars or more often in places few Americans are willing to invest in. The entrepreneur seeking a residency in America gets no guarantees except the shot at receiving a green card, provided they meet the strict requirements.
What critics refuse to tell you is that this program has already pumped billions into our economy, generating tens of thousands of jobs, all while maintaining a pristine record of investor integrity.
As a business owner I see how the program turns foreign capital into American opportunity. Between 2008 and 2021, EB-5 generated $37.4 billion in foreign direct investment, funding projects like hotels, infrastructure, and real estate developments. These aren’t pie-in-the-sky schemes; they’re concrete contributions to American communities that need it most.
The EB-5 program employs a rigorous application process because we want to ensure we are only inviting in pro-America, pro-freedom investors. Applicants must follow strict protocol: proving their funds are lawful, undergoing extensive background checks, and sustaining their investment for years. If EB-5 visa holders don’t live up to requirements, their visas are revoked.
The program’s track record speaks for itself. I can’t find any evidence of EB-5 visa holders being convicted of crimes or causing problems in America. In 2005, government investigators found fraud on behalf of program operators not the investors. Those responsible were arrested and prosecuted. In 2022, Congress refined the EB-5 visa system leading to better oversight and vetting of potential investors. As a result, program compliance rates are now reaching all time highs.
This isn’t a wide-open floodgate to America either. The EB-5 program has an annual allocation of fewer than 10,000 visas. In 2024 we saw that many foreigners use the Biden era CBP One app to enter America each day! Unlike other visa programs, it doesn’t displace American workers; it creates jobs for them—over 1.7 million between 2016-2019 alone. These are American jobs created with foreign money, that could have been spent elsewhere.
The EB-5 visa program is self-funded, with zero cost to the taxpayer. It’s a model of what immigration policy should be: selective, merit-based, and America-first. Under President Trump’s leadership, the program was strengthened, with investment thresholds raised in 2019 to ensure only serious investors qualify. The 2022 reforms added more transparency and accountability. The program proves, we can have secure borders and economic growth. We don’t have to choose.
EB-5 visa holders are investors, not freeloaders. They don’t drain our government services, they create a tax base to help pay for those services. These are America-loving investors who want to build America with us.
The EB-5 program proves it’s possible to uphold conservative principles while harnessing global wealth for American prosperity. Congress should expand this program, maximize its potential, and send a clear message: America is open for business, not for open borders.
Grant Stinchfield is the host of Stinchfield on Real Americas Voice as well as his own podcast with the same title. He can also be found hosting “The Morning Answer” in AM870 in Los Angeles.
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