Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem is working on a new reality TV show which involves migrants competing against each other “for the honor of fast-tracking their way to U.S. citizenship,” according to the Daily Mail.
Noem is reportedly working with Canadian-born producer Rob Worsoff, the producer of A&E reality show Duck Dynasty, to pitch the series titled The American.
The show will involve 12 pre-vetted migrants arriving at Ellis Island in New York City aboard ‘The Citizen Ship.’ In NYC, they will be greeted by a host described in the pitch as “a famous, naturalized American who was also born in another country”.
Worsoff specifically names Colombian-born Sofia Vergara, Canadian Ryan Reynolds and Mila Kunis from Ukraine as possible hosts for the show.
From NYC, contestants will travel across the country on a train called ‘The American’ and compete in several state specific challenges. Votes will reportedly be tallied by officials from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
At the end of each challenge the losing contestant will go home with a prize, including a million American Airlines points, a $10,000 Starbucks gift card and have a better shot of becoming a US citizen through the normal process, The Daily Beast reports.
Meanwhile, the overall winner of the contest will get sworn in on the steps of the United States Capitol by “a top American politician or judge.”
Worsoff said in the pitch that the show will remind viewers “what it means to be American – through the eyes of the people who want it most.”
“We’ll join in the laughter, tears, frustration, and joy—hearing their backstories—as we are reminded how amazing it is to be American,” he added.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, told the Daily Mail that staff are reviewing the pitch and had a call with Worsoff last week.
She also insisted that Noem has not been briefed on the initiative, but sources confirmed to the outlet that Noem supports the project and wants to proceed.
Noem, who has been treating her cabinet position as her own reality TV show, has reportedly been working for weeks to get a show like The American approved by streaming giants like Netflix or cable but has failed. She hopes this one will stick.
