The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed it is reviewing a pitch for a new reality TV show that would feature immigrants participating in challenges for the chance to earn U.S. citizenship.
The show, tentatively titled The American, was proposed by Canadian-American television producer Rob Worsoff, whose past credits include Duck Dynasty, The Millionaire Matchmaker, and Dating Naked. Worsoff says the show would celebrate the immigrant experience and highlight the process of becoming an American citizen.
A Reality Show About the Immigration Journey
In interviews with CNN and other outlets, Worsoff described the show as a competition where immigrants voluntarily take part in elimination-style challenges across different U.S. states. These challenges would be inspired by regional culture or history — such as a pizza-making contest in New York, a rocket-launching event in Florida, or a Gold Rush-themed task in California.
Each episode would end with a town-hall-style vote in which local residents choose a winner. According to Worsoff, the final episode would feature the winner being sworn in as a U.S. citizen.
“I think this show would celebrate and humanize the people in that journey,” he said. “We’re going to cheer for them and we’re going to love them.”
DHS Response: Proposal Under Review
A DHS spokesperson confirmed the agency received the pitch and that it is undergoing a routine internal review, as is standard for television proposals. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in an email statement to Time that DHS reviews hundreds of pitches each year, ranging from documentaries about law enforcement operations to dramatized programming.
“The pitch generally was a celebration of being an American and what a privilege it is to be able to be a citizen of the United States of America,” McLaughlin told the New York Times. She added that DHS is “happy to review out-of-the-box pitches” and that this one has neither been approved nor rejected.
McLaughlin also clarified that Secretary Kristi Noem has not been involved in reviewing the show and was unaware of the proposal.
Legal and Ethical Questions
While Worsoff emphasized that participation in the show would be voluntary and would not affect the contestants’ existing immigration cases, legal experts have raised concerns about the concept. Some question whether U.S. citizenship can or should be awarded through a televised competition.
Worsoff has said the final format would depend on input from networks and legal feasibility. He previously pitched the idea to DHS in 2012 and during other administrations, but this is the first time the concept has drawn public attention.