<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing a reality TV pitch where immigrants would compete for American citizenship, according to a spokesperson who said in a statement to CNN that "the show in question is in the very beginning stages of that vetting process and has not received approval or denial by staff".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A producer who has pitched the idea to DHS said he envisions the show as being a "positive love letter to America" while dismissing criticism that it would be "punching down" on contestants.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Rob Worsoff, himself a Canadian immigrant whose credits include </span><em><span>The Millionaire Matchmaker,</span></em><span> </span><em><span>Duck Dynasty</span></em><span> and </span><em><span>The Biggest Loser</span></em><span>, said he's pitched the idea for his show as far back as the Obama Administration.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-overpass-fears-overpass-could-be-closed-for-a-year-after-wind-turbine-jam/c8cfbfd8-e1df-4db4-83b1-9ad3525426f0"><strong><span>Overpass could be shut for a year after wind turbine jam</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said he's had three conversations with the current DHS about his pitch — "and they've gone far" — but said Secretary Kristi Noem has not been involved in any of the discussions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Worsoff told CNN's Kaitlan Collins, "I don't know where they stand exactly now, but I feel like we're trending in a good way."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told CNN in a statement that DHS "receives hundreds of television show pitches a year, ranging from documentaries surrounding ICE and CBP border operation to white collar investigations by HSI. Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/us-news-dhs-says-its-in-beginning-stages-of-vetting-process-for-immigrant-reality-tv-show/d87d8891-fcb3-45bf-b47b-14489b26e14c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><em><span>Daily Mail</span></em><span> and the </span><em><span>Wall Street Journal</span></em><span> previously reported on the show.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McLaughlin denied aspects of the earlier report in the </span><em><span>Daily Mail</span></em><span>, however, saying Noem has not "'backed' or even reviewed the pitch of any scripted or reality show."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Worsoff said he envisions his show being like "</span><em><span>The Biggest Loser</span></em><span> for immigration" – referencing the former reality show where overweight contestants competed to see who would lose the most weight, and which had also been the subject of criticism about its content.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he insisted: "There's nobody who loses on this show — it's ridiculous to even suggest otherwise."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These are all people who are likely to become future Americans," Worsoff said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They are all people with a place in line. They are all people that are good candidates. I'm not punching down on anyone — I am offering somebody the opportunity to jump to the front of the line and nobody else loses.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In fact, everybody else in line will be humanised and we'll get to know their face and their story and we'll love them and maybe they'll get a job out of it, or maybe they'll get other opportunities out of it."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/10-escape-from-new-orleans-jail-through-hole-in-cell-wall-while-lone-guard-left-to-get-food/b17f6c1e-81de-4e96-999f-b7790df0f00e" rel="" target="_blank" title="Ten inmates escape jail through hole in cell wall, leave taunting message"><strong><span>Ten inmates escape jail through hole in cell wall, leave taunting message</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He provided CNN with portions of a pitch deck for the show with a working title </span><em><span>The American</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A description of the pitch for a show reads: "Contestants will represent a wide demographic of ages, ethnicities, and talents. We'll join in the laughter, tears, frustration and joy — hearing their backstories — as we are reminded of how amazing it is to be American, through the eyes of 12 wonderful people who want nothing more than to have what we have — and what we often take for granted: the freedom, opportunity and honor of what it means to be American."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Each episode would include a heritage challenge, an elimination challenge, a town-hall meeting and a final vote, according to the deck. Worsoff said the heritage challenge will be tailored to specific locations — a "gold rush" challenge in San Francisco, for example, or a "pizza" challenge in New York or a "NASA" challenge in Florida — to showcase "how cool America is".</span></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2025/05/17/07/46/today-in-history-may-17-what-happened-on-this-day-in-pictures"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/qaQI57g_RqOHyjtsVXIn6_EB00o=/0x26:1013x596/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Ffdb8075a-4325-49b1-80a8-390e37dbf1b2" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/qaQI57g_RqOHyjtsVXIn6_EB00o=/0x26:1013x596/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Ffdb8075a-4325-49b1-80a8-390e37dbf1b2 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/xv1k8TOwh1e9OAjzW-yFCvz9umY=/0x26:1013x596/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Ffdb8075a-4325-49b1-80a8-390e37dbf1b2 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">Rock band's cover causes so much outrage FBI investigates lyrics </div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2025/05/17/07/46/today-in-history-may-17-what-happened-on-this-day-in-pictures">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Worsoff told Collins on </span><em><span>The Source</span></em><span> that he envisions each episode ending with a town-hall meeting, "just like in a presidential election".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The people of Tennessee, let's say, will get to vote on which one of our future Americans they would most like to represent the state of Tennessee," Worsoff said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He previously acknowledged the stakes would be high for the contestants but said that's not a bad thing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I would hope that any competition reality show has stakes," Worsoff told CNN.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Yeah, I'm not going to apologise for that fact that there are real stakes on the show. I don't think that's a bad thing, I think that's a good thing."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>