Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Samar Ali provided insight for an article in Forbes on the EB-5 visa program and the potential actions President-elect Trump might take upon entering office. The immigrant investment program is up for renewal in April, and while President-elect Trump’s campaign promises around immigration might seem counter to the EB-5 program’s pro-immigration nature, it is possible, if not likely, that he will support the continuation of the program due to its benefits to job creation and real estate development. While some opponents claim that the program is a gateway for immigration and financial fraud, Samar notes that those concerns are likely exacerbated by the immigration component to the investment program. “There is an emotional reaction against this program because it is an immigrant based program,” Samar said. “People are using EB-5 as a mechanism to commit fraud just like they would use the banking system here to commit fraud.”
The full article, “Here’s One Immigration Policy that Should Withstand President Donald Trump,” was published by Forbes on January 2, 2017, and is available online.