The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a sharp rebuttal on Friday to a media report alleging that Secretary Kristi Noem is backing a reality TV show offering immigrants a chance at U.S. citizenship through televised competitions. The department denounced the report as “fake news.”
The initial story, published by the Daily Mail, claimed that entertainment producer Rob Worsoff, who is best known for his work on “Duck Dynasty, had proposed a show concept involving celebrity immigrant hosts guiding contestants through challenges across the United States.
The idea, according to the outlet, was that the winner could receive expedited citizenship.
“[DHS] Secretary Kristi Noem is pushing for an actual reality show pitting immigrants against each other ‘for the honor of fast-tracking their way to U.S. citizenship,’” the Daily Mail wrote on Thursday.
The article also claimed that DHS had confirmed Noem’s support for the concept.
That characterization was rejected by DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who issued a statement calling the story “an affront to journalism.”
“Secretary Noem has not ‘backed’ nor is even aware of the pitch of any scripted or reality show,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
She explained that DHS receives a high volume of media proposals annually, spanning various law enforcement operations, including those involving ICE, CBP, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
“Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval. We need to revive patriotism and civic duty in this country, and we’re happy to review out-of-the-box pitches. This pitch has not received approval or rejection by staff,” she added.
Worsoff, a Canadian immigrant, provided further details about the proposed series in interviews with both the Daily Mail and The Wall Street Journal.
He insisted that the show, tentatively titled “The American,” is not intended as a demeaning contest.
“This isn’t ‘The Hunger Games’ for immigrants,” Worsoff explained to the Journal. “This is not, ‘Hey, if you lose, we are shipping you out on a boat out of the country.’”
Worsoff said the program would follow 12 contestants as they traveled the country on a train named “The American.” Along the way, they would participate in region-specific challenges.
Celebrity hosts with immigrant backgrounds—like Sofia Vergara, Ryan Reynolds, and Mila Kunis—would welcome them with custom baseball gloves as a symbolic introduction to American culture.
The contestants would meet with “interesting Americans” and experience the diversity and heritage of each locale.
According to Worsoff’s pitch, viewers would connect with the stories of the immigrants and reflect on what it means to be an American citizen.
“We’ll join in the laughter, tears, frustration, and joy – hearing their backstories – as we are reminded how amazing it is to be American, through the eyes of 12 wonderful people who want nothing more than to have what we have,” the pitch stated.
The finale would feature the winner being sworn in as a U.S. citizen on the steps of the Capitol.
“Along the way, we will be reminded what it means to be American – through the eyes of the people who want it most,” Worsoff’s pitch concluded.
“I’m not affiliated with any political ideology. As an immigrant myself, I am merely trying to make a show that celebrates the immigration process, celebrate what it means to be American and have a national conversation about what it means to be American, through the eyes of the people who want it most,” Worsoff told the Daily Mail.
He noted that the concept had been presented as early as the Obama years but failed to move forward at that time.
In related immigration developments, DHS has formally requested the deployment of 20,000 National Guard personnel to assist in immigration enforcement, according to a spokesperson on Friday.
“The Department of Homeland Security will use every tool and resource available to get criminal illegal aliens including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and other violent criminals out of our country. The safety of American citizens comes first,” McLaughlin said.
The Pentagon is now reviewing the request. If granted, it would be the first time in U.S. history that National Guard troops are used in direct immigration law enforcement roles, according to reporting from The New York Times.
