ADMINISTRATION PLANS 600,000 FOREIGN STUDENTS, PROPOSES 'GOLD CARD' TO PRIORITIZE HIGH‑WAGE IMMIGRANTS

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the administration plans to admit roughly 600,000 foreign students to help lower‑tier colleges survive and signaled parallel reforms to H‑1B and green‑card rules to favor higher‑earning migrants via a proposed "Gold Card." Critics warn the expansion could displace American students and depress entry‑level wages; related reporting indicates salary‑weighted H‑1B selection and intensified vetting for some foreign nationals.