NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n\n- The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly weighing a pitch for a reality series where immigrants would compete for a chance to win United States citizenship.<\/li>\n
- A DHS representative said that the show is “in the very beginning stages of the vetting process.”<\/li>\n
- Duck Dynasty<\/em>\u00a0producer Rob Worsoff is responsible for the pitch, and he reportedly presented it to both the Obama and Biden administrations before reaching out to President Donald Trump’s team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The Department of Homeland Security under President\u00a0Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0is reportedly considering a pitch for a reality show in which immigrants would compete for a chance to win citizenship in the United States.<\/p>\nProducer Rob Worsoff confirmed to\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>\u00a0that he has had discussions with members of the DHS about the show idea. The outlet reported that he’s received “positive” feedback from Trump officials about the pitch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWorsoff also reached out to networks for “preliminary discussions’ to see if there was any interest in picking up the show if the DHS were to collaborate on it.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/fmCvlWC7PD4oifvIlyK5y9QG-0c=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/usa-department-of-homeland-security-051625-be9fe03447ec40af936154ade5890717.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>The seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.<\/span>Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nDHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told\u00a0WSJ<\/em>\u00a0that the show is only “in the very beginning stages” of a “vetting process” and not currently in the works.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReports about the potential reality show were first picked up by\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em><\/a>, which reported that DHS Secretary\u00a0Kristi Noem<\/a>\u00a0was “backing” the series. However, Worsoff told\u00a0WSJ\u00a0<\/em>that he had not spoken to Noem directly and isn’t sure whether she herself “has knowledge” of the pitch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nNever miss a story \u2014 sign up for\u00a0PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n![\"Former](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/AKLNpAoJ5Tm0fjQrE8MmGAKjP-w=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/donald-trump-kristi-noem-051625-7d53724992424fc1a8f25b1957706dc1.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>JIM WATSON\/AFP via Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWorsoff is someone who reality TV fans may already be familiar with from his work on shows like\u00a0Duck Dynasty<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0The Millionaire Matchmaker<\/em><\/a>. He immigrated to the U.S. from Canada.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t\u00a0The Hunger Games<\/em>\u00a0for immigrants,\u201d he told\u00a0WSJ<\/em>. \u201cThis is not, \u2018Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country,\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nIf the show were to proceed, he said that contestants would test their knowledge about a variety of American topics.<\/p>\n
Worsoff previously pitched the idea for the show to the DHS under the Obama and Biden administrations, though the previous administrations did not proceed with the idea.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cEach proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval,” McLaughlin told\u00a0WSJ<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nPEOPLE reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for more information about Worsoff’s proposal.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n![\"Homeland](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/L371nSf_MQTS1JmX7YVCJdkrh9M=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/kristi-noem-051625-ea92611504544dc1acac3818c615f886.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>Kristi Noem in May 2025.<\/span>Anna Moneymaker\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWSJ<\/em>\u00a0reported that the DHS fields “hundreds of pitches a year for potential television shows, ranging from documentaries about border security operations to programs about white-collar investigations.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThey obviously do not move forward with every idea that they are presented with.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThe PEOPLE App<\/a>\u00a0is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\nTrump’s administration has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of immigrants in recent months.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nIn addition to aggressive immigration raids since Trump took office, the government has implemented controversial plans such as\u00a0listing Latino immigrants as “dead”<\/a>\u00a0in the Social Security database, suggesting that they might be inclined to “self-deport” if benefits are cut off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/3URR4DajQmsml4db4Asvs83Invo=\/4000x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)\/donald-trump-051625-635c4ba794624709997e7d038752090d.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>President Donald Trump in May 2025.<\/span>Win McNamee\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also been\u00a0accused of arresting the wrong people<\/a>\u00a0while attempting to round up immigrants for deportation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nKilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal immigrant, was\u00a0deported and sent to a mega-prison<\/a>\u00a0in El Salvador earlier this year without due process. Federal courts\u00a0ordered the administration<\/a>\u00a0to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S., but he remains in foreign custody.<\/p>\n
- \n
- The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly weighing a pitch for a reality series where immigrants would compete for a chance to win United States citizenship.<\/li>\n
- A DHS representative said that the show is “in the very beginning stages of the vetting process.”<\/li>\n
- Duck Dynasty<\/em>\u00a0producer Rob Worsoff is responsible for the pitch, and he reportedly presented it to both the Obama and Biden administrations before reaching out to President Donald Trump’s team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The Department of Homeland Security under President\u00a0Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0is reportedly considering a pitch for a reality show in which immigrants would compete for a chance to win citizenship in the United States.<\/p>\n
Producer Rob Worsoff confirmed to\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>\u00a0that he has had discussions with members of the DHS about the show idea. The outlet reported that he’s received “positive” feedback from Trump officials about the pitch.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nWorsoff also reached out to networks for “preliminary discussions’ to see if there was any interest in picking up the show if the DHS were to collaborate on it.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>The seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.<\/span>Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told\u00a0WSJ<\/em>\u00a0that the show is only “in the very beginning stages” of a “vetting process” and not currently in the works.<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nReports about the potential reality show were first picked up by\u00a0Daily Mail<\/em><\/a>, which reported that DHS Secretary\u00a0Kristi Noem<\/a>\u00a0was “backing” the series. However, Worsoff told\u00a0WSJ\u00a0<\/em>that he had not spoken to Noem directly and isn’t sure whether she herself “has knowledge” of the pitch.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nNever miss a story \u2014 sign up for\u00a0PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/a>\u00a0to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>JIM WATSON\/AFP via Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Worsoff is someone who reality TV fans may already be familiar with from his work on shows like\u00a0Duck Dynasty<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0The Millionaire Matchmaker<\/em><\/a>. He immigrated to the U.S. from Canada.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t\u00a0The Hunger Games<\/em>\u00a0for immigrants,\u201d he told\u00a0WSJ<\/em>. \u201cThis is not, \u2018Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country,\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nIf the show were to proceed, he said that contestants would test their knowledge about a variety of American topics.<\/p>\n
Worsoff previously pitched the idea for the show to the DHS under the Obama and Biden administrations, though the previous administrations did not proceed with the idea.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\u201cEach proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval,” McLaughlin told\u00a0WSJ<\/em>.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nPEOPLE reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for more information about Worsoff’s proposal.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>Kristi Noem in May 2025.<\/span>Anna Moneymaker\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n WSJ<\/em>\u00a0reported that the DHS fields “hundreds of pitches a year for potential television shows, ranging from documentaries about border security operations to programs about white-collar investigations.”<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThey obviously do not move forward with every idea that they are presented with.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nThe PEOPLE App<\/a>\u00a0is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/div>\nTrump’s administration has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of immigrants in recent months.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nIn addition to aggressive immigration raids since Trump took office, the government has implemented controversial plans such as\u00a0listing Latino immigrants as “dead”<\/a>\u00a0in the Social Security database, suggesting that they might be inclined to “self-deport” if benefits are cut off.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>President Donald Trump in May 2025.<\/span>Win McNamee\/Getty<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also been\u00a0accused of arresting the wrong people<\/a>\u00a0while attempting to round up immigrants for deportation.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nKilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal immigrant, was\u00a0deported and sent to a mega-prison<\/a>\u00a0in El Salvador earlier this year without due process. Federal courts\u00a0ordered the administration<\/a>\u00a0to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S., but he remains in foreign custody.<\/p>\n