Late-Night Personalities Lampoon Trump's Latest 'Gold Card' Immigration Program

TV's prominent comedians spent their airtime criticizing President Donald Trump's recently announced visa initiative, labeled the "golden visa," describing it as a clear pay-to-play system for the affluent.

Colbert's Pointed Spin

Kicking off his broadcast, Stephen Colbert delivered a satirical Christmas song directed at the president. "He's compiling a list, checking it twice, then giving that list to the people at ICE," he sang. "The President ... ruins each thing he comes into contact with."

Colbert's target was the controversial initiative that permits international citizens to acquire U.S. residence for an investment of a million dollars, or "top-tier" tier for $5 million. The program's website promises approval "in record time."

"A quick message here to rich immigrants: prior to you pony up, maybe think about Canada?" Colbert quipped.

He explained that the card is also meant to "extract cash" from companies wishing to hire foreign workers, with significant costs. "That is a lot of fees, however if you enroll, you also get free accommodation at a hotel of your choosing – if it's the a specific Marriott," he added.

"The best screening the U.S. government has before done," remarked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, "that $15,000 vetting to verify these applicants absolutely qualify to be in America."

"That's important, you gotta prove you're suitable to be an American," Colbert said dryly. "First question: how many hamburgers would you eat for a free T-shirt?"

Jimmy Kimmel's Humorous Commentary

On his late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel dubbed the initiative the "Get Into America Express Card."

"It's a card that will allow rich international individuals to live here," he stated. "In exchange for a million dollars, you get legal visitor status, you get a road to citizenship, and a president's pardon for one serious crime of your choice."

"It might be time to change that message on the Statue of Liberty – to hell with your tired masses. Pay a million bucks, you're in!" he joked.

Kimmel lampooned the lack of detail of the form, saying it is "more difficult to start a Wordle account." He remarked that Trump "thinks citizenship is something you can sell, like a condo."

"That's right, the best people are the rich people," Kimmel said. "It's what Jesus constantly said! Read it in the Bible. He says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle provided that you give the needle a million dollars."

Seth Meyers covering Grocery Concerns

Elsewhere, Seth Meyers focused on Trump's declining approval ratings amid economic worries. "Voters gave Donald Trump a another term because they were angry about the economy," he explained.

This week, in a effort to discuss prices, Trump conducted a press conference in front of a array of food items, where he behaved strangely to some cereal.

"What a nice job, I think I'm going to take some of them back to my place and have a lot of fun," Trump said. "Such as the Cheerios, I haven't had Cheerios in a ages."

"He is so extremely weird," Meyers reacted. "What do you mean, you're going to take them back to your cottage to have a lot of fun with them? What's the plan with those Cheerios?"

Meyers concluded by mocking conservative news defenses of Trump's financial record. "Maybe instead of voicing concerns, you should give him a shiny trophy like the one FIFA did," he joked.