- By Supratik Das
- Sat, 17 May 2025 12:32 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a move that's sparking nationwide debate, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly reviewing a television game show idea where immigrants compete for American citizenship. The concept, presented by Canadian-American producer Rob Worsoff, would be a reality show with challenges based on American heritage, from re-creating gold rush treasure hunts to constructing a Model T Ford chassis. Although the proposal is undergoing DHS’s standard vetting process. “We need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country, and we’re happy to review out-of-the-box pitches,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin in a statement quoted by The New York Times. She added, “This pitch has not received approval or rejection by staff.”
Worsoff, who became US citizen after immigrating from Canada, claimed that the show was motivated by his own experiences. He claimed he pitched the idea to DHS under the Obama and Biden administrations, hoping to frame immigration as a celebration of American values. While numerous netizens have questioned the morality of gamifying citizenship, others believe that the notion could transform discussion of immigration from one of fear to one of aspiration and civic pride.
Based on The Wall Street Journal reports, the planned show would have one-hour episodes where immigrants face different team-based and solo challenges. One contestant would be eliminated every episode until the final one, which would see the season conclude with the winner being sworn in as a US citizen. Worsoff, who has worked on reality shows such as Duck Dynasty, had pitched a 36-page pitch deck to the DHS. The deck includes concepts such as:
• Mining for gold in a gold-rush-type event
• Piecing rocket parts together in a NASA-challenge event
• Simulating the immigrant experience by traveling to Ellis Island by boat
• Manufacturing automobiles on a Detroit-style assembly line
“This isn’t The Hunger Games for immigrants,” Worsoff told The Wall Street Journal. “This is not...Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country.”
DHS Confirms Review
The proposal was first reported by the Daily Mail, and it raised public alarm and outrage online. In a statement, DHS clarified that Secretary Kristi Noem, a former governor of South Dakota who is currently in charge of deportation operations, has nothing to do with the proposal."Noem was not aware of this pitch," the department stated.
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The news comes against the backdrop of intensified immigration crackdowns under US President Donald Trump. Trump’s administration has moved to dismantle Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for citizens from countries like Haiti, Afghanistan, and Venezuela, stripping protections and accelerating deportations. Secretary Kristi Noem has also drawn criticism for her public handling of immigration enforcement. Recently, she made headlines for staging a heavily publicised visit to El Salvador, where she posed inside a prison housing men deported without due process wearing tactical gear and a 50,000 USD Rolex watch.
For the moment, there has been no go-ahead. DHS says the proposal is still pending review. No timeline or deadline for a decision has been set. If approved, the show could become one of the most unconventional and controversial to ever feature on American television.