Peter Schweitzer

And the problem is the CB-5 program is a very clever way to inject foreign money legally into our elections.

So let me explain.

You get permanent resident status if you come through this program.

It doesn't mean you actually have to live here.

In fact, there are a lot of Chinese billionaires who have obtained permanent resident status through this program that brag how they don't actually live in the United States.

They remain in China.

But if you get permanent resident status in the United States, John, you are allowed to legally donate to political campaigns.

And you can donate, you know, in some instances, we found tens of millions of dollars flowing into political campaigns in the United States illegally.

from individuals that remain in China.

So this is kind of a covert way of manipulating our immigration system to curry influence and expand their power within the United States government.

Yeah, it's challenging.

So the EB-5 program is set to sunset in 2026.

Some people are trying to resurrect the program.

The problem with permanent resident status is that the Supreme Court determined in the Citizens United case that making political donations is a First Amendment right from being in the United States.

So it would be hard for me to believe that the courts would allow a law that says permanent resident status means you can't donate to campaigns.

because you're effectively saying people don't have First Amendment rights, even though they live here, are supposed to live here permanently.

I do think, though, that what we should do is have disclosure.

They should be required, campaigns should be required to say, we received this large check from a non-citizen who is donating to our campaign, so at least there is some transparency.

Because right now, you go through the FEC records, there's no way of knowing whether this is foreign money or U.S.

money that's going into campaigns.